The hearing of MJ Akbar's criminal defamation case against journalist Priya Ramani began afresh on Friday before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ravindra K Pandey. The case had been transferred from Judge Vishal Pahuja.
Hearing in MJ Akbar's criminal defamation case against Priya Ramani to begin before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ravindra K Pandey.
— Bar & Bench (@barandbench) December 18, 2020
After the transfer of Judge Vishal Pahuja, parties are making arguments afresh. #MeToo #PriyaRamani #MJAkbar #Metooindia@mjakbar pic.twitter.com/Q2JoL3y5El
Senior advocate Rebecca John, appearing for Ramani, recounted all the previous submissions before the court.
She laid before the court that Ramani’s tweets and article were “the truth, in public good and made in good faith”. “Incident[s] of sexual harassment touches upon a public question. It can never be held that such disclosure is not for public good, public interest.” She also said that there was a deliberate misreading of Ramani’s Vogue article and that Akbar had not "come to court with clean hands".
You are trying to gain an unfair advantage over the other side. The failure of Mr Akbar in mentioning the allegations by other women, and pretending that only Ramani's statement defamed him.. Mr Akbar has not come to court with clean hands and failed a fraud on the court : John
— Bar & Bench (@barandbench) December 18, 2020
There is a deliberate misreading of the Vogue article. Priya Ramani is the author and she on oath has explained the structure of the article: John
— Bar & Bench (@barandbench) December 18, 2020
Public good, good faith and public interest.. incident of sexual harassment touches upon a public question. It can never be held that such disclosure is not for public good, public interest: John
— Bar & Bench (@barandbench) December 18, 2020
Akbar had filed the case against Ramani in October 2018 after she accused him of sexual harassment. The matter will be heard next at 2 pm on December 22.
Here is a sampler of Newslaundry’s coverage of the case:
MJ Akbar vs Priya Ramani: ‘We can’t be a social media country’
MJ Akbar’s defamation case against Priya Ramani sent to another Delhi court
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