A Delhi Court on Wednesday acquitted Journalist Priya Ramani in a criminal defamation case filed by former Union Minister MJ Akbar.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ravindra Kumar Pandey said that no complaint of defamation is proved against Ramani.
The Court said that the right of reputation cannot be protected at the cost of the right to dignity. It said, “the woman has the right to put up her grievance even after decades”.
The court also referred to the Ramayana and the Mahabharata while pronouncing its judgement.
The Court while pronouncing the order said, “Women cannot be punished for raising voice against the sexual abuse in the pretext of complaint of defamation. The woman has the right to put her grievance at any platform of her choice and even after decades.”
The Court also observed that even a man of social status can be a sexual harasser. It also said that sexual abuse takes away dignity and self-confidence.
During the hearing both Ramani and Akbar were present in the court.
