Judge Hearing MJ Akbar-Priya Ramani Case Transferred

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vishal Pahuja, who had been hearing the criminal defamation case by ex-Union Minister MJ Akbar against journalist Priya Ramani, has been transferred out of the Rouse Avenue Court, according to a Delhi High Court order. He will now be serving as a senior civil court judge at the district court of North East Delhi.

This implication of this development is that the final arguments in the MJ Akbar-Priya Ramani case will have to be made all over again.

The order naming Vishal Pahuja as one of the transferees reads:

“Hon’ble the Chief Justice and Judges of this Court have been pleased to make the . following postings/transfers in the Delhi Judicial Service with immediate effect (sic).”