Updated: November 21, 2020 2:45:17 pm
MJ Akbar and Priya Ramani. (Archive)
A Delhi court on Saturday urged former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs MJ Akbar and journalist Priya Ramani to consider solving the criminal defamation case that Akbar has brought against Ramani as the crime was aggravating in nature.
Additional Metropolitan Chief Magistrate (ACMM) Ravindra Pandey took over the case after his predecessor, ACMM Vishal Pahuja, was transferred by the Delhi High Court along with more than one hundred judges on November 18.
ACMM Pandey said this while listening to the matter which is in its final stages of hearing. Both sides have completed their closing arguments and lead defender Geeta Luthra, representing Akbar, was about to complete her rebuttal to the closing arguments when Pahuja was transferred.
Ramani had brought accusations of sexual misconduct and harassment against Akbar, after which he resigned from the Union Council of Ministers and sued her.
At a hearing on Saturday, ACMM Pandey said in Hindi: “The dispute between the two parties is aggravating in nature. They are senior attorneys and have resolved disputes over the years. Is there a possibility of a settlement? I don’t know much about the case. I don’t know the level of the dispute. Prima facie, what I understand is that it is composable in nature. Both parties should decide, otherwise I will keep it as final arguments. “
Bhavook Chauhan, who appeared on behalf of Ramani, said: “The facts of this case are peculiar. In fact, I don’t see any possibility of aggravating this particular complaint. I think there is a lot at stake … the defendant has said that everything she has said is the truth and the public interest ”.
ACMM Pandey then asked Luthra: “Ma’am, is there a possibility of an agreement, on your side?” Luthra said: “I will have to check with the legal advisor.”
ACMM Pandey said: “So I keep it just for argument. But 100 percent, if there is even a 0.5 percent chance of reaching an agreement, then both lead attorneys should talk to each other. “
ACMM Pandey told the lawyers of both parties that “they will have to endure punishment” and that he “will try to complete the final arguments as soon as possible and reserve it for order.”
Luthra told the court that she wanted to start her closing arguments today, which was allowed by the court, provided it was a short introductory statement.
Luthra told the court: “She (Ramani) wrote an article in Vogue in which she said a lot of derogatory things. A year after this, he said that what he said in that 2017 article was about Akbar. She said this in a tweet and also attached a link to her Vogue story. My reputation was tarnished by this and I was defamed. “
ACMM Pandey said, “Sorry to interrupt, is this Vogue a magazine?” “Yes sir. It is a magazine. It was an online article,” Luthra replied, adding that, “she (Ramani) did not take due care and caution. There was no investigation that could be seen (reflected in the article).
Luthra told the court about Akbar’s witnesses who have been examined, the documents they relied on, and the defense Ramani took during the trial.
“She has said that her article has one part about Mr. Akbar and the other part is general. She has brought this defense for the first time in court … the law says that if you are claiming the truth, then the truth must be complete. The truth must not be in parts. He says he is a journalist. I say that a journalist has a greater responsibility. They know the rules. They know that for a person, their reputation is more important than their life, ”Luthra told the court.
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