The Delhi Court on Wednesday passed the verdict in the defamation case against the journalist, Priya Ramani.
On Wednesday, Delhi court acquitted journalist Priya Ramani in the case filed by former Union minister M J Akbar regarding defamation. The case was filed after Priya accused MJ Akbar of sexually harassing her in 1994. She spoke up about the incident during the #MeToo movement in India in 2018.
As reported by Bar and Bench, the court during the hearing observed that “even a man of social status can be a sexual harasser." The court also clarified that the mental trauma of such incidents can make it hard for a woman to speak up. And that every woman has the right to put her grievance even after decades. Article 21 allows her the right to do that.
The court also said that Ramani’s revelations were made in the “interest of anti-sexual harassment at workplace” and that it took into consideration “systematic abuse at workplace”. The order held that sexual abuse takes away dignity and self-confidence, according to Live Law. “Right of reputation can’t be protected at the cost of the right to dignity,” the order said.
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Various people welcomed the verdict with open arms and appreciated the court's judgement.