'Sexual Harassment Has Got Attention It Deserves': Priya Ramani After Being Acquitted In MJ Akbar Defamation Case

“Me the victim had to stand up in court as the accused”. Priya Ramani thanked her friends and family for standing by her.

Senior journalist Priya Ramani (front left) | PTI

Delhi High Court on Wednesday released its verdict in the MJ Akbar Vs Priya Ramani defamation case. Journalist Priya Ramani has been acquitted of all the charges by the High Court. The court stated the 'case of the complainant is not proved' while acquitting the journalist.

After the verdict was pronounced, Ramani said: "It feels amazing, truly does. I feel vindicated on behalf of all the women who have ever spoken out against sexual harassment. Sexual harassment has got the attention it deserves. In spite of the fact that it was me the victim who has standup in court as an accused, I thank who stood everyone by me, thanks to the court for this verdict."

"A woman has right to put her grievance even after decades", the Court observed. The court also asserted that a man of social status can be a sexual harasser.

"Sexual abuse takes away dignity and self-confidence. Right of reputation can't be protected at the cost of the right to dignity", the Court held in Ramani's acquittal.

Meanwhile, Union Minister Smriti Irani spoke after the verdict and said 'due protection of the law is given to every woman, the court takes the decision on the basis evidence'.

Chain of events

• Priya Ramani accused MJ Akabar of sexual harassment in an article in 2017 and in a tweet in 2018, she alleged that he had sexually harassed her during a job interview in 1994. 
• In October 2018, the journalist turned politician MJ Akabar filed a case against Priya Ramani. Then, two days later he was forced to resign as Union minister.
• Between November 2018 - January 2019, the Court recorded the statement of MJ Akbar's witnesses including journalist Joyeeta Basu and business person Sunil Gujral.
• In January 2019, Priya Ramani was summoned, she was granted bail in February and she pled not guilty in April. 
• In September of that year, she testified as to the first defence witness.
• Final submission began in February 2020, when Akbar's senior counsel said that allegations by Priya Ramani were defamatory. The court was disrupted due to Covid pandemic and in September 2020, Ramani's senior counsel began with final submissions according to Bar and Bench.
• In January 2021, Akbar's lawyers, had contended that Ramani "deliberately, intentionally, maliciously" destroyed evidence by deleting the Twitter account and there was not an iota of truth in her story. 
• The verdict was expected on February 10th 2021, however, it was deferred till February 17 as Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ravindra Kumar Pandey stated that the written submissions were submitted late. The court had reserved the judgment on February 1 after Akbar, as well as Ramani, completed their arguments.