Delhi’s Patiala House Court granted bail to senior journalist Priya Ramani in the defamation case filed by former Union minister MJ Akbar against her on Monday, 25 February.
The case has been adjourned for the day and the matter will be next heard on 10 April.
After the hearing, Ramani told ANI, “The next date when they will frame the charges against me is 10 April. After that it will be my turn to tell my story. The truth is my defence.”
In a complaint case, the complainant should be here but he isn't, says Rebecca John, who is representing Ramani. Ramani has moved an application for exemption from personal appearance in the case.
Ramani had accused Akbar of sexual misconduct during his time as a journalist. The allegations levelled against him forced him to resign from the Union cabinet on 17 October 2018.
Akbar had filed a defamation case against Ramani for accusing him of sexual misconduct in an article she had written for Vogue magazine in October 2017. While Ramani had not mentioned Akbar’s name in the article, she admitted a year later that it referred to Akbar.
Following suit, nearly 13 women accused Akbar of sexual harassment, rape and inappropriate behaviour last year.
On 29 January, the Delhi court issued summons to journalist Priya Ramani in the defamation case filed by former Union Minister MJ Akbar.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal asked Ramani to appear before the court on 25 February, noting that the allegations of sexual harassment by Ramani were prima facie defamatory and refers to complainant Akbar.
Testifying in favour of Akbar, six witnesses told the Patiala House Court that Ramani’s allegations had desecrated the former union minister’s reputation, as reported by Bar and Bench.
Suspended From Editors’ Guild of India
On 12 December 2018, the Editors' Guild of India suspended former Union Minister MJ Akbar and journalist Tarun Tejpal following the allegations of sexual misconduct against the two.
The Guild, in its statement, said:
“A majority of the Executive Committee members suggested that the membership of Mr Akbar should be suspended. There was also consensus that Mr Tejpal be suspended too, until the conclusion of his trial.”Editors’ Guild of India
(With inputs from Bar and Bench and IANS)
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