JOURNALIST PRIYA RAMANI ACQUITTED IN AN EMPOWERING JUDGEMENT FOR WOMEN

18th Feb 2021

The Court acquitted Priya Ramani on 17th February in the criminal defamation case by MJ Akbar (former union minister). This case was filed on 15th October 2018 over a sexual misconduct allegation during the wake of the #metoo movement by Ramani against him. He resigned as Union Minister on 17th Oct 2018 after at least 20 other women, including Priya Ramani, went public with the allegations.

Delhi Court, while Delivering a 91-page verdict, held, “ A woman cannot be punished for raising voice against sex-abuse on the pretext of criminal complaint of defamation as the right of reputation cannot be protected at the cost of the right of life and dignity of a woman” and that she has the “right to put her grievance” on “any platform of her choice and even after decades”. This landmark judgment has stored countless women’s trust in the Judiciary in holding the predators accountable for the wrongs done to them.

Author: Papiha Ghoshal