New Delhi: A Delhi court on Wednesday acquitted journalist Priya Ramani in the criminal defamation complaint filed by MJ Akbar on her allegations of sexual harassment against him.
"The woman has the right to put her grievances at any platform of her choice and even after decades," Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ravindra Kumar Pandey noted.
The court further said that right of reputation cannot be protected at the cost of right to dignity. "Women cannot be punished for raising voice against the sexual abuse in the pretext of complaint of defamation."
The Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate also took consideration of the systemic abuse at workplace. He said that the time has come for the society to understand the implication of sexual harassment.
"I am feeling amazing, to have my truth vindicated in a court of law is really something," Ramani told reporters after being acquitted in the case.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ravindra Kumar had on February 1 reserved the judgment for February 10 after Akbar as well as Ramani completed their arguments.
However, on February 10, the court deferred the judgment for February 17, saying the verdict was not complete since both the parties filed their written submission late.