The court docket docket will further hear the arguments on September 8. (File)
New Delhi:
Journalist Priya Ramani knowledgeable a Delhi court docket docket on Saturday that her remarks alleging sexual harassment by former Union minister MJ Akbar have been “her actuality” which she disclosed in “good faith” for the “public good” and, resulting from this reality, do not amount to defamation.
Ms Ramani submitted this sooner than Further Chief Metropolitan magistrate Vishal Pahuja by way of her lawyer all through the final listening to of a private jail defamation criticism filed by Akbar in opposition to her.
Via the #MeToo movement, Ms Ramani in 2018 accused MJ Akbar of sexual misconduct spherical 20 years prior to now when he was a journalist.
MJ Akbar resigned as Union minister on October 17, 2018.
Senior advocate Rebecca John, exhibiting for Ms Ramani, knowledgeable the court docket docket on Saturday that as per laws it is not defamation to impute one thing which is true relating to any explicit individual whether or not it’s for most of the people good.
“An actual imputation made inside the public good won’t be defamation… it is not defamation to make an imputation on the character of 1 different when it is made in good faith for the security of his or totally different’s curiosity,” she knowledgeable the court docket docket all through a digital listening to.
Ms John further acknowledged that “Priya Ramani’s alleged defamatory tweets and the Vogue article have been her actuality. I am saying that’s my (Ramani’s) actuality… it is the fact, is in good faith, touching public good.”
The court docket docket will further hear the arguments on September 8.
MJ Akbar had earlier knowledgeable the court docket docket that Ms Ramani had defamed him by means of using adjectives akin to “media’s best predator” in opposition to him that harmed his standing.
MJ Akbar has denied all the allegations of sexual harassment in opposition to the women who acquired right here forward all through the #MeToo advertising and marketing marketing campaign in opposition to him.
MJ Akbar had knowledgeable the court docket docket that the allegations made in an article inside the ”Vogue” and the next tweets have been defamatory on the face of it as a result of the complainant had deposed them to be false and imaginary and that “speedy hurt” was precipitated to him on account of “false” allegations by Priya Ramani.
Ms Ramani had earlier knowledgeable the court docket docket that her “disclosure” of alleged sexual harassment by MJ Akbar has come at “a incredible personal worth” and she or he had “nothing to appreciate” from it.
She had acknowledged her switch would empower women to speak up and make them understand their rights on the workplace.
Various women acquired right here up with accounts of the alleged sexual harassment by MJ Akbar him whereas they’ve been working as journalists under him.
He has termed the allegations “false, fabricated and deeply distressing” and acknowledged he was taking relevant licensed movement in opposition to them.
