News Analysis India

Tag: M J Akbar

  • MJ Akbar plea against acquittal of Priya Ramani: HC says will call for trial court records

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday said it will call for the trial court records in connection with the defamation case filed by former Union minister M J Akbar’s against journalist Priya Ramani who had accused him of sexual harassment.

    The trial court had acquitted Ramani by dismissing Akbar’s defamation complaint.

    Justice Mukta Gupta said she will call for the trial court records and listed Akbar’s appeal against Ramani’s acquittal for hearing on August 11.

    During the brief hearing, the Akbar’s lawyer said the trial court judgement was “perverse”.

    Akbar has challenged the trial court’s February 17 order acquitting Ramani in the case on grounds that a woman has the right to put grievances before any platform of her choice even after decades.

    The trial court had dismissed the complaint filed by Akbar, saying no charges were proved against Ramani.

    It had said it was of the considered view that the case of Akbar regarding commission of offence punishable under Section 500 (punishment for the offence of defamation) IPC against Ramani is not proved and she is acquitted for the same.

    The trial court had said it was shameful that crimes against women are taking place in a country where mega epics like Mahabharata and Ramayana were written about respecting them.

    The glass ceiling will not prevent Indian women as a roadblock in advancement in society of equal opportunities, it had said.

    Ramani had made allegations of sexual misconduct against Akbar in the wake of the #MeToo movement in 2018.

    Akbar had filed the complaint against Ramani on October 15, 2018 for allegedly defaming him by accusing him of sexual misconduct decades ago.

    He resigned as a Union minister on October 17, 2018.

  • MJ Akbar moves Delhi HC against Ramani’s acquittal in defamation case

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Former Union minister M J Akbar has moved the Delhi High Court challenging a trial court order acquitting journalist Priya Ramani in the criminal defamation case filed against her over the allegations of sexual harassment.

    The plea is scheduled to come up for hearing on Thursday before Justice Mukta Gupta.

    Akbar has challenged the trial court’s February 17 order acquitting Ramani in the case on the ground that a woman has the right to put grievances before any platform of her choice even after decades.

    The trial court had dismissed the complaint filed by Akbar saying that no charges were proved against Ramani.

    The court had said it was shameful that crimes against women are taking place in a country where mega epics like Mahabharata and Ramayana were written about respecting them.

    The glass ceiling will not prevent Indian women as a roadblock in advancement in society of equal opportunities, it had said.

    Ramani had made allegation of sexual misconduct against Akbar in the wake of #MeToo movement in 2018.

    Akbar had filed the complaint against Ramani on October 15, 2018 for allegedly defaming him by accusing him of sexual misconduct decades ago.

    He resigned as a Union minister on October 17, 2018.

    He denied all the allegations of sexual harassment against the women who came forward during #MeToo campaign against him.

  • #MeToo movement: Feel vindicated on behalf of women who spoke against sexual harassment, says Priya Ramani

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Journalist Priya Ramani, who was acquitted on Wednesday by a Delhi court in a criminal defamation case lodged by M J Akbar, said she felt vindicated on behalf of all the women who have ever spoken out against sexual harassment at the workplace.

    Reacting to the judgment by Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ravindra Kumar Pandey, who dismissed the complaint filed by Akbar saying that no charges were proved against her, Ramani said that it feels great to have your truth validated before the court.

    “It feels amazing, truly does. I feel vindicated on behalf of all the women who have ever spoken out against sexual harassment at the workplace,” she said.

    Ramani said the sexual harassment issue has gotten the attention it deserves.

    ALSO READ | #MeToo movement: Journalist Priya Ramani acquitted in criminal defamation case by MJ Akbar

    “It was me the victim who had to stand up in the court as an accused. I thank everyone who stood by me especially my witnesses Ghazala Wahab and Niloufer Venkatraman who came to the court and testified on my behalf.”

    “I thank the court for the verdict and I thank my lawyer Rebecca John and the amazing team who believed in me and the wider cause. They put their heart and soul in the case,” she said.

    Ramani had made allegations of sexual misconduct against Akbar in the wake of #MeToo movement in 2018.

    Akbar had filed the complaint against Ramani on October 15, 2018, for allegedly defaming him by accusing him of sexual misconduct decades ago when he was a journalist.

    He resigned as Union minister on October 17, 2018.

    He denied all the allegations of sexual harassment against the women who came forward during #MeToo campaign against him.