Delhi court reserves order on whether MJ Akbar's defamation case will be heard by MP, MLA court

A District and Sessions court in Delhi on Wednesday reserved its order on the issue of whether the defamation case filed by former union minister MJ Akbar against journalist Priya Ramani would be heard by the court exclusively dealing cases related to lawmakers.

A District and Sessions court in Delhi on Wednesday reserved its order on the issue of whether the defamation case filed by former union minister MJ Akbar against journalist Priya Ram would be heard by the court exclusively dealing cases related to lawmakers.

The District and Sessions Judge Sujata Kohli at Rouse Avenue courts said the order would be pronounced on October 22, after hearing the submission made by the counsels of both sides.

Senior Advocate Geeta Luthra, appearing for Akbar, submitted before the court that there is no bar for MP/MLA courts on hearing matters that are not against lawmakers and urged to send the matter back to the same court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vishal Pahuja.

Representing Ram, advocate Bhavook Chauhan said it is up to this court to decide whether the case should be heard by magistrate Pahuja as the notification mandates that ACMM's court specifically for parliamentarians and legislators.

However, Judge Kohli also noted that notification creates no bar on hearing of other non-lawmakers cases and the object behind the notification was to expedite cases against lawmakers.

Akbar's counsel advocate Sandeep Kapur reiterated Luthra's submissions and said that grave prejudice is being caused to his client.

A magistrate court had on Tuesday sent the defamation case filed by former union minister MJ Akbar against journalist Priya Ram, to a District and Sessions Judge of the Rouse Avenue District Court for seeking appropriate directions.

The court was hearing final arguments in the matter. MJ Akbar, a former Minister of State for External Affairs, had filed a defamation case against the journalist Priya Ram for accusing him of sexual misconduct.

Akbar had on October 17, 2018, resigned as the union minister after his name cropped up on social media as the #MeToo campaign raged on in India. Ram had accused Akbar of sexual misconduct, a charge denied by him.

( With inputs from ANI )