New Delhi: The following is the timeline of M J Akbar’s criminal defamation case against journalist Priya Ramani for her allegations of sexual harassment against him in which Delhi court acquitted her.
— Oct 8, 2018: Ramani names Akbar in a tweet with a reference to a 2017 Vogue India article she had written titled To the Harvey Weinsteins of the World .
— Oct 15: Akbar files criminal defamation complaint before Delhi court.
— Oct 17: Akbar resigns as Union minister.
— Jan 29, 2019: Delhi court summons Ramani as accused in the case.
— Feb 25: Delhi court grants bail to Ramani.
— Feb 7, 2020: Court starts hearing final arguments in the case.
— Sep 19: Judge hearing the case seeks transfer of the matter to another court on the ground that his court was designated to hear cases filed against lawmakers.
— Oct 22: District judge refuses to transfer the case to another court and sends it back to the magistrate who was hearing the matter.
— Nov 18: Judge hearing the case transferred.
— Nov 21: New judge starts hearing afresh the final arguments in the case.
— Feb 1, 2021: Court reserves the verdict after both the parties complete their final arguments.
— Feb 10: Judgment adjourned to Feb 17 due to late submission of written submissions.
— Feb 17: Ramani acquitted, court dismisses the complaint filed by Akbar saying that no charges were proved against her.