The Delhi High Court Wednesday sought journalist Priya Ramani's stand on former Union minister MJ Akbar's enchantment in opposition to an ordeal court order acquitting her withinside the crook defamation case filed through him over her allegations of sexual harassment.
Justice Mukta Gupta issued be aware to Ramani withinside the enchantment and listed it for in addition listening to on 13 January.
Senior advocates Rajiv Nayar and Geeta Luthra, appearing for Akbar, contended that the trial court erroneously acquitted Ramani regardless of concluding that her allegations have been defamatory.
“He (trial court choose) says defamation is made out. The case is below Section 499 IPC. He unearths it defamatory. The judgement ought to have concluded after this finding is returned,” Nayar submitted.
The court replied that locating any content material defamatory is the “first step” withinside the proceedings, and then the trial court has to take into account the defence of the accused. “The trial court says consistent with so they're defamatory and however withinside the context of which she made the allegations, there has been a legitimate defence,” the choose stated.
Senior recommend Luthra contended that the trial court passed out the decision without thinking about any objections raised for the duration of the trial.
“Nothing is determined. The (trial) court went directly to determine approximately Ram and Ravan. Objections aren't determined or seemed into,” she stated.
Akbar has challenged the trial court's 17 February order acquitting Ramani withinside the case on grounds that a girl has the proper to position grievances earlier than any platform of her preference even after a long time.
The trial court had disregarded the criticism filed through Akbar, announcing no costs have been proved in opposition to Ramani.
It had stated it become of the taken into consideration view that the case of Akbar concerning fee of an offence punishable below Section 500 (punishment for the offence of defamation) IPC in opposition to Ramani isn't proved and he or she is acquitted for the same.
The court had stated it becomes shameful that crimes in opposition to ladies are taking location in a rustic in which mega epics like Mahabharata and Ramayana have been written approximately respecting them.
The glass ceiling will now no longer save you, Indian ladies, as a roadblock in development in a society of identical opportunities, it had stated.
In the wake of the #MeToo motion in 2018, Ramani had made allegations of sexual misconduct in opposition to Akbar whilst he becomes a journalist and she becomes working below him a few two decades ago. Akbar had filed the criticism in opposition to Ramani on 15 October 2018 for allegedly defaming him by accusing him of sexual misconduct a long time ago.
He resigned as a Union minister on 17 October 2018.