Media
MJ Akbar’s defamation case against Priya Ramani sent to another Delhi court
After nearly two years, the Delhi court hearing MJ Akbar’s defamation suit against the journalist Priya Ramani forwarded it to a district and sessions judge on Tuesday.
Judge Vijay Pahuja, an additional chief metropolitan magistrate, said the case will be transferred from his Rouse Avenue court to that of a district and sessions judge, who will decide whether it should continue under Pahuja. His court, Pahuja reasoned, is supposed to only deal with cases against MPs and MLAs and not by them, Bar and Bench reported.
Akbar had filed the case against Ramani in October 2018 after she accused him of sexual harassment.
Ramani’s lawyer Rebecca John had already concluded her arguments before Pahuja, as had Akbar’s lawyer Geeta Luthra.
“I have proven my case and I deserve to be acquitted,” Bar and Bench quoted John as telling the court in her final arguments. “Ramani did not jump onto any bandwagon. There was an avalanche of disclosures against MJ Akbar. He was one of them.”
Speaking with Newslaundry, John said, “This is a part of the process. We’ll pick up where we left. We’ll start from making the final arguments. The record of the case is there. It will be listed before the district judge tomorrow who will assign it to some court. We’ll have to appear before that court first which will then give us the date of the final arguments.”
***
The media industry is in crisis. Journalists, more than ever, need your support. You can support independent media by paying to keep news free. Because when the public pays, the public is served and when the advertiser pays, the advertiser is served. Subscribe to Newslaundry today.
Also Read
-
Faridabad shooting: Was Aryan Mishra really murdered over ‘cow smuggling’?
-
Why does India fail to address digital accessibility gaps?
-
‘Hardest decision’: As Manipur remains on boil, several Kuki-Zo students quit studies
-
Let Me Explain: How 39 accused of 2012 Mangaluru assault now walk scot-free
-
Reporters Without Orders Ep 336: Madhabi Buch’s ‘conflict of interest’, political tussle in Jharkhand