The Delhi High Court on January 13, agreed to examine former Union Minister M J Akbar’s appeal against the trial court order acquitting journalist Priya Ramani in his criminal defamation case over her allegations of sexual harassment.
The matter of MJ Akbar v. Priya Ramani was listed before the Delhi High Court on January 13, 2022, and came up for hearing on arguments for leave to appeal, before the court of Justice Mukta Gupta.
Justice Mukta Gupta had issued notice to Ramani last year. The court allowed Akbar’s application for leave to appeal. The matter will come up for hearing in the due course of time.
MJ Akbar was represented by Senior Advocates Rajeev Nayar and Geeta Luthra, briefed by a team from Karanjawala & Co., led by Sandeep Kapur, Senior Partner and comprising Vir Sandhu, Vivek Suri, Niharika Karanjawala and Apoorva Pandey, advocates. Priya Ramani was represented by advocate Bhavook Chauhan.
In his appeal, Akbar contended that the trial court decided his criminal defamation case on the basis of surmises and conjecture and as though it was a case of sexual harassment.
“Trial Court has erred in considering the instant case as a complaint for sexual harassment when it was in fact a complaint about defamation… the trial Court ought to have considered the evidence presented by the Respondent (Ramani) from the perspective of a defamation case as she has presented no admissible corroboratory evidence, other than her own testimony,” the appeal said.
Akbar has also claimed that the trial court “gravely erred” in observing that he did not have a stellar reputation and has ignored the well-established principles of criminal jurisprudence.
“The Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM), while passing his judgment, had erroneously relied upon the contention of Ramani that the Appellant (Akbar) is not a man of stellar and impeccable reputation, which speaks volumes about the non-application of mind, which is as bad in law and on facts,” the plea said.
Akbar has challenged the trial court’s February 17, 2021 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 an offense punishable under Section 500 (punishment for the offense of defamation) IPC against Ramani is not proved and she is acquitted for the same.
The case pertains to a defamation complaint filed by Akbar against Ramani on October 15, 2018, for allegedly defaming him
Ramani had made allegations against Akbar in the wake of the #MeToo movement in 2018 due to which Akbar had to resign on October 17, 2018, as Union Minister. /LAB/SNG