The Delhi High Court has scheduled a hearing for September 19 to address former Union Minister M.J. Akbar’s appeal against the acquittal of journalist Priya Ramani in a defamation case related to allegations of sexual harassment. The hearing was postponed after an adjournment request by Ramani’s counsel due to the unavailability of their senior lawyer.
Justice Neena Bansal Krishna announced the rescheduled date, stating, “List it for argument on September 19,” despite Akbar’s counsel requesting an earlier date. The court, however, emphasized that it was treating the matter strictly as one of criminal defamation.
Akbar has contested the trial court’s decision from February 17, 2021, which acquitted Ramani, upholding her right to express grievances on any platform, even after decades. The High Court agreed to examine the appeal in early 2022.
In his appeal, Akbar argued that the trial court mishandled his defamation complaint, treating it as a case of sexual harassment without proper evaluation of the evidence presented. “The trial court has erred in considering the instant case as a complaint for sexual harassment when it was in fact a complaint for defamation,” the appeal stated, emphasizing that Ramani’s testimony lacked corroborative evidence.
Akbar also criticized the trial court for its remark on his reputation and for not adhering to established principles of criminal jurisprudence. The former minister insists that the evidence against Ramani was not adequately considered.
