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The court docket will additional hear the arguments on September 8. (File)
New Delhi:
Journalist Priya Ramani advised a Delhi court docket on Saturday that her remarks alleging sexual harassment by former Union minister MJ Akbar have been “her truth” which she disclosed in “good faith” for the “public good” and, due to this fact, don’t quantity to defamation.
Ms Ramani submitted this earlier than Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vishal Pahuja via her lawyer throughout the ultimate listening to of a non-public felony defamation grievance filed by Akbar towards her.
During the #MeToo motion, Ms Ramani in 2018 accused MJ Akbar of sexual misconduct round 20 years in the past when he was a journalist.
MJ Akbar resigned as Union minister on October 17, 2018.
Senior advocate Rebecca John, showing for Ms Ramani, advised the court docket on Saturday that as per regulation it isn’t defamation to impute something which is true regarding any particular person whether it is for the general public good.
“A true imputation made in the public good is not defamation… it is not defamation to make an imputation on the character of another when it is made in good faith for the protection of his or other’s interest,” she advised the court docket throughout a digital listening to.
Ms John additional mentioned that “Priya Ramani’s alleged defamatory tweets and the Vogue article were her truth. I am saying this is my (Ramani’s) truth… it is the truth, is in good faith, touching public good.”
The court docket will additional hear the arguments on September 8.
MJ Akbar had earlier advised the court docket that Ms Ramani had defamed him by utilizing adjectives corresponding to “media’s biggest predator” towards him that harmed his repute.
MJ Akbar has denied all of the allegations of sexual harassment towards the ladies who got here ahead throughout the #MeToo marketing campaign towards him.
MJ Akbar had advised the court docket that the allegations made in an article within the ”Vogue” and the following tweets have been defamatory on the face of it because the complainant had deposed them to be false and imaginary and that “immediate damage” was triggered to him because of the “false” allegations by Priya Ramani.
Ms Ramani had earlier advised the court docket that her “disclosure” of alleged sexual harassment by MJ Akbar has come at “a great personal cost” and he or she had “nothing to gain” from it.
She had mentioned her transfer would empower girls to talk up and make them perceive their rights on the office.
Several girls got here up with accounts of the alleged sexual harassment by MJ Akbar him whereas they have been working as journalists below him.
He has termed the allegations “false, fabricated and deeply distressing” and mentioned he was taking applicable authorized motion towards them.
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