Journalist Priya Ramani gets bail in defamation case by M J Akbar

A Delhi court on Monday granted bail to journalist Priya Ramani on a personal bond of Rs 10,000 in a defamation case filed by former Union minister M J Akbar.

The case against Ramani was filed by Akbar, who was Minister of State for External Affairs, after #MeToo allegations were levelled against him.

Ramani appeared before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal who granted her bail on a personal bond of Rs 10,000.

The matter has been listed for further hearing on April 10.

After the court proceedings, she claimed that "truth is her defence" and after the next date it will be her turn to tell her story.

"The next date is April 10 when the judge will frame charges against me, and after that it will be my turn to tell my story and truth is my defence," she told the media outside the court complex.

Ramani, who was summoned by the court after counsel Geeta Luthra made a plea in this regard, was the first woman to accuse Akbar of sexual harassment during the #MeToo campaign.

On January 11, three witnesses in the case recorded their statements in the court. In total, seven people, including the former minister, have recorded their statements in the criminal defamation complaint.

All the witnesses, who gave their statements in favour of Akbar, said that his impeccable reputation built over the years was tarnished in their eyes and caused grave damage to his reputation by tweets and publications.

All these witnesses have been associated with Akbar for many years.

Akbar resigned as the Minister of State for External Affairs in October last year after Ramani and other women accused him of sexual harassment.