The hearing in the defamation case brought by Former Union Minister MJ Akbar against journalist Priya Ramani in connection with sexual harassment allegations made by her is currently underway at the Court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate..Ramani had pleaded not guilty in the case initiated by MJ Akbar back in October 2018..MJ Akbar approached the Patiala House Court under Section 499 of the Indian Penal Code, terming the sexual harassment allegations levelled against him as “false, frivolous, unjustifiable and scandalous”..Senior Advocate Rebecca John is representing Priya Ramani. Senior Advocate Geeta Luthra and Advocate Sandeep Kapur (Senior Partner, Karanjawala & Co) are appearing for MJ Akbar..Senior Advocate Luthra will be cross examining a witness produced on behalf of Priya Ramani today. Her statement, which was by the Court on October 25, can be read here..Live updates of today’s hearing follow. .Court of Additonal Chief Metropolitan Magistrate assembles to hear MJ Akbar’s defamation case against Priya Ramani. Case is being heard by ACMM Vishal Pahuja now. Priya Ramani’s friend, Niloufer Venkatraman takes the stand for her cross examination.Senior Advocate Geeta Luthra who appears for MJ Akbar begins.It is correct that I have not produced the call records of the office telephone which was being used at my mother’s office in 1993, Niloufer.It is wrong to suggest that such records were not produced because no call was made to me by the accused (Ramani), Niloufer.Similar statements are recorded with respect to Niloufer’s home landline.Luthra: How active are you on twitter?; Niloufer: I am not very active. I often read but I don’t tweet.Luthra: When are were your last 2 tweets before October 2018?; Niloufer: Probably a year before that.Luthra: Would it be correct to say that your tweet in 2017 was on 4.2.2017 and before that on 25.11.2016?; Niloufer: It is possible that I have tweeted only once in 2016 and once in 2017 but I do not recollect exactly.Luthra: When did you read the statement by Ramani before the Court in this case?; Niloufer: I have not read by statement by Ramani before this Court.I have been following this case through media, Niloufer.I cannot say whether there has been verbatim reporting of the proceedings taking place in the court, Niloufer.I cannot admit or deny whether the statement of the accused was reported by the media verbatim, Niloufer.Did you retweet a tweet, asks Luthra as she shows a print out to Niloufer.It is wrong to depose that I have deposed on the lines of the accused on legal advice and I am a tutored witness, Niloufer.Niloufer denies retweeting any tweet.I am not that familiar with the platform so as to know whether retweets would show on the twitter account of the accused.Luthra requests that there be no live reporting of the case.Has there been any application? Judge asks. Judge says reporters can take notes.It is correct that I have not given the date on which I took the screenshot of the conversation, Niloufer.It is correct that I have not mentioned the procedure of taking the print out or the description of the printer with respect to the screenshot, NilouferLuthra puts several questions to Niloufer suggest respect to her tweets made in connection to the case.I have retweeted other media stories pertaining to the case, NilouferAfter the witness has gone through her Twitter account on her mobile she states that she has not retweeted (any of the updated from court), Court records.Luthra asks Niloufer to show her Twitter account.On 15,16, and 17 Oct 2018, I have retweeted certain media reports about this case, NilouferLuthra: Did you also retweet on 18.10.2018?; Niloufer: I have not retweeted on 18.10.2018 pertaining to the present case.It is wrong to suggest that in my WhatsApp message I had stated Nov/Dec 1993 but I have improved my statement in court by alleging Dec 1993 after reading the statement of the accused before the Court, NilouferIt is wrong to suggest that I have sent the WhatsApp messages after discussing with the accused as there were immediately numerous comments on the tweet stating that she would be sued, NilouferIt is wrong to suggest that I have deliberately sent the WhatsApp message to Ramani to fabricate false evidence in the anticipation that complainant may take legal action against the accused because of several comments to this effect, NilouferIt is wrong to suggest that the accused and I preplanned and conspired to create a false narrative in view of potential legal action to create false evidence, NilouferLuthra puts several questions with respect to screenshot of Ramani and Niloufer,’s WhatsApp conversation and the Section 65B evidence act certificate.It is correct that I did not personally witness or hear any of the alleged events with regard to the complainant or the accused, NilouferHowever, I dropped her to the hotel before the interview began and she called me and told about the entire details after the interview was over, Niloufer addsIt is wrong to suggest that my entire version about the accused allegedly meeting me at mother’s office is false as no such meeting with me ever took place, NilouferIt is wrong to suggest that my version about the accused calling me few hours later is false as no such call of this nature was ever made to me as so such incident ever took place, NilouferIt is wrong to suggest that my entire version of receiving any call from the accused about any alleged meeting with the complainant at the office of the soon to be launched Asain age is false as no such meeting took place, NilouferIt is wrong to suggest that no such alleged interview or meeting ever took place. It is wrong to suggest that I being the closest friend of the accused, deposed falsely to support her concocted defence, NilouferIt is wrong to suggest that no such incident took place and hence I and the accused never mentioned or discussed her vogue India article in 2017 when it was originally published, NilouferIt is wrong to suggest that I am not a tutored witness, NilouferNiloufer is discharged as a witness.Court rises for lunch..Post Lunch Updates: Niloufer stands discharged after the completion of her cross examination by Luthra. Priya Ramani takes the stand..Luthra puts the same suggestions that were put to Niloufer with respect to the calls made to the landline of Niloufer’s mother’s office by Priya Ramani.I have not produced the call record of making any call to the home landline of Niloufer in the year 1993, Ramani. It is wrong to suggest that no such record was produced because I had not made any calls, Ramani.It is wrong to suggest that I read the comments on my tweets on 8.10.2018 and anticipating that MJ Akbar may take legal action against me, I asked Niloufer to send me WhatsApp messages which I have shown to Court to fabricate false evidence.., Ramani.It is wrong to suggest that the WhatsApp messages were preplanned and predecided for creating a false defence for a possible legal action against me, Ramani.It is further wrong to suggest that the messages were sent on my instructions as there were immediately numerous comments that I would be sued, Ramani.It is wrong to suggest that I and Niloufer were in the knowledge even before you posted the tweet and that we pre-planned to fabricate false evidence in the anticipation of any legal action that may be taken following my tweet, Ramani.It is correct that I spoke and communicated with Niloufer because of our friendship since 1988, Ramani.It is wrong to suggest that I spoke and communicated with Niloufer to pre plan and fabricate evidence in support of my defense, Ramani.Luthra shows the print out the screenshot of the WhatsApp conversation to Ramani. Luthra suggests that any screenshot taken of a WhatsApp message includes the text box at the bottom. I don’t know, Ramani.Luthra: I put to you that your screenshot of the WhatsApp messages is edited and the bottom of the screenshot has been cropped.Ramani denies the suggestion and adds that she can show the original message to the Court. Luthra asks Ramani to show the screenshot.Ramani shows the screenshot to the Judge. Judge says that the original screenshot contains the text box.Luthra suggests: In view of the fact that the text box has not been shown by you in the evidence(print out) given to the court, you have filed only a cropped version of the screenshot.; Ramani: It is correct that the text box has been cropped out.It is wrong to suggest that the screenshot has been tampered with, Ramani. It is correct that I have not mentioned the date on which I took the screenshot of the WhatsApp messages or took the print out.., Ramani.It is wrong to suggest that I have not mentioned the procedure that I adopted for taking out the print out, Ramani.It is wrong to suggest that I have given a false certificate under Section 65B Evidence Act to support my defense, Ramani.Luthra: Do you know that when one takes a screenshot, it is saved in png, jpeg format?; Ramani: Yes.It is correct that I have not filed on record any pendrive or CD containing the screenshot, Ramani.I checked my twitter record with respect to a corrigendum issued by me. Since there were a lot of tweet threads and I was unable to find my clarification, Ramani.On 24th October, I reactivated my twitter account to check for the clarification. As on today it is again deactivated, Ramani.It is wrong to suggest that as per terms and conditions of Twitter, after 30 days of deactivation, the account is deleted. Twitter gives an option to deactivate your account for one year, she adds.It is wrong to suggest that all the details of the alleged event described by me are a figment of my imagination and are a work of fiction, Ramani.It is wrong to suggest that I had made the allegations against the complainant for oblique motive and not to empower women, Ramani.It is wrong to suggest that I have malafide and extraneous motive for making the allegations against Akbar, Priya Ramani.It is wrong to suggest that my conduct as a journalist has been unethical as I had neither identified my sources nor attributed credits, Ramani.It is wrong to suggest that what I have done by publishing the tweets was wrong, defematory and malicious, Ramani.It is wrong to suggest that it has harmed the reputation of the complainant. It is wrong to suggest that my tweets and publication had nothing to do with “doing the right thing”, Ramani.It is wrong to suggest that I have deposed falsely, Ramani.Cross examination concludes. Matter to be taken up next on December 10.. Read an account of the first round of cross-examination of MJ Akbar on May 4 here, the second round on May 20 here. and the third round on July 6 here..Read an account of the first round of examination of witnesses produced on behalf of Akbar on July 15 here, the second round of examination on July 17 here and the third round of examination on August 2 here..On August 23, the Court started recording the statement of Priya Ramani. An account of the first round of this can be read here, an account of the second round can be read here and an account of the third round can be read here..Bar & Bench is available on WhatsApp. For real-time updates on stories, Click here to subscribe to our WhatsApp.
The hearing in the defamation case brought by Former Union Minister MJ Akbar against journalist Priya Ramani in connection with sexual harassment allegations made by her is currently underway at the Court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate..Ramani had pleaded not guilty in the case initiated by MJ Akbar back in October 2018..MJ Akbar approached the Patiala House Court under Section 499 of the Indian Penal Code, terming the sexual harassment allegations levelled against him as “false, frivolous, unjustifiable and scandalous”..Senior Advocate Rebecca John is representing Priya Ramani. Senior Advocate Geeta Luthra and Advocate Sandeep Kapur (Senior Partner, Karanjawala & Co) are appearing for MJ Akbar..Senior Advocate Luthra will be cross examining a witness produced on behalf of Priya Ramani today. Her statement, which was by the Court on October 25, can be read here..Live updates of today’s hearing follow. .Court of Additonal Chief Metropolitan Magistrate assembles to hear MJ Akbar’s defamation case against Priya Ramani. Case is being heard by ACMM Vishal Pahuja now. Priya Ramani’s friend, Niloufer Venkatraman takes the stand for her cross examination.Senior Advocate Geeta Luthra who appears for MJ Akbar begins.It is correct that I have not produced the call records of the office telephone which was being used at my mother’s office in 1993, Niloufer.It is wrong to suggest that such records were not produced because no call was made to me by the accused (Ramani), Niloufer.Similar statements are recorded with respect to Niloufer’s home landline.Luthra: How active are you on twitter?; Niloufer: I am not very active. I often read but I don’t tweet.Luthra: When are were your last 2 tweets before October 2018?; Niloufer: Probably a year before that.Luthra: Would it be correct to say that your tweet in 2017 was on 4.2.2017 and before that on 25.11.2016?; Niloufer: It is possible that I have tweeted only once in 2016 and once in 2017 but I do not recollect exactly.Luthra: When did you read the statement by Ramani before the Court in this case?; Niloufer: I have not read by statement by Ramani before this Court.I have been following this case through media, Niloufer.I cannot say whether there has been verbatim reporting of the proceedings taking place in the court, Niloufer.I cannot admit or deny whether the statement of the accused was reported by the media verbatim, Niloufer.Did you retweet a tweet, asks Luthra as she shows a print out to Niloufer.It is wrong to depose that I have deposed on the lines of the accused on legal advice and I am a tutored witness, Niloufer.Niloufer denies retweeting any tweet.I am not that familiar with the platform so as to know whether retweets would show on the twitter account of the accused.Luthra requests that there be no live reporting of the case.Has there been any application? Judge asks. Judge says reporters can take notes.It is correct that I have not given the date on which I took the screenshot of the conversation, Niloufer.It is correct that I have not mentioned the procedure of taking the print out or the description of the printer with respect to the screenshot, NilouferLuthra puts several questions to Niloufer suggest respect to her tweets made in connection to the case.I have retweeted other media stories pertaining to the case, NilouferAfter the witness has gone through her Twitter account on her mobile she states that she has not retweeted (any of the updated from court), Court records.Luthra asks Niloufer to show her Twitter account.On 15,16, and 17 Oct 2018, I have retweeted certain media reports about this case, NilouferLuthra: Did you also retweet on 18.10.2018?; Niloufer: I have not retweeted on 18.10.2018 pertaining to the present case.It is wrong to suggest that in my WhatsApp message I had stated Nov/Dec 1993 but I have improved my statement in court by alleging Dec 1993 after reading the statement of the accused before the Court, NilouferIt is wrong to suggest that I have sent the WhatsApp messages after discussing with the accused as there were immediately numerous comments on the tweet stating that she would be sued, NilouferIt is wrong to suggest that I have deliberately sent the WhatsApp message to Ramani to fabricate false evidence in the anticipation that complainant may take legal action against the accused because of several comments to this effect, NilouferIt is wrong to suggest that the accused and I preplanned and conspired to create a false narrative in view of potential legal action to create false evidence, NilouferLuthra puts several questions with respect to screenshot of Ramani and Niloufer,’s WhatsApp conversation and the Section 65B evidence act certificate.It is correct that I did not personally witness or hear any of the alleged events with regard to the complainant or the accused, NilouferHowever, I dropped her to the hotel before the interview began and she called me and told about the entire details after the interview was over, Niloufer addsIt is wrong to suggest that my entire version about the accused allegedly meeting me at mother’s office is false as no such meeting with me ever took place, NilouferIt is wrong to suggest that my version about the accused calling me few hours later is false as no such call of this nature was ever made to me as so such incident ever took place, NilouferIt is wrong to suggest that my entire version of receiving any call from the accused about any alleged meeting with the complainant at the office of the soon to be launched Asain age is false as no such meeting took place, NilouferIt is wrong to suggest that no such alleged interview or meeting ever took place. It is wrong to suggest that I being the closest friend of the accused, deposed falsely to support her concocted defence, NilouferIt is wrong to suggest that no such incident took place and hence I and the accused never mentioned or discussed her vogue India article in 2017 when it was originally published, NilouferIt is wrong to suggest that I am not a tutored witness, NilouferNiloufer is discharged as a witness.Court rises for lunch..Post Lunch Updates: Niloufer stands discharged after the completion of her cross examination by Luthra. Priya Ramani takes the stand..Luthra puts the same suggestions that were put to Niloufer with respect to the calls made to the landline of Niloufer’s mother’s office by Priya Ramani.I have not produced the call record of making any call to the home landline of Niloufer in the year 1993, Ramani. It is wrong to suggest that no such record was produced because I had not made any calls, Ramani.It is wrong to suggest that I read the comments on my tweets on 8.10.2018 and anticipating that MJ Akbar may take legal action against me, I asked Niloufer to send me WhatsApp messages which I have shown to Court to fabricate false evidence.., Ramani.It is wrong to suggest that the WhatsApp messages were preplanned and predecided for creating a false defence for a possible legal action against me, Ramani.It is further wrong to suggest that the messages were sent on my instructions as there were immediately numerous comments that I would be sued, Ramani.It is wrong to suggest that I and Niloufer were in the knowledge even before you posted the tweet and that we pre-planned to fabricate false evidence in the anticipation of any legal action that may be taken following my tweet, Ramani.It is correct that I spoke and communicated with Niloufer because of our friendship since 1988, Ramani.It is wrong to suggest that I spoke and communicated with Niloufer to pre plan and fabricate evidence in support of my defense, Ramani.Luthra shows the print out the screenshot of the WhatsApp conversation to Ramani. Luthra suggests that any screenshot taken of a WhatsApp message includes the text box at the bottom. I don’t know, Ramani.Luthra: I put to you that your screenshot of the WhatsApp messages is edited and the bottom of the screenshot has been cropped.Ramani denies the suggestion and adds that she can show the original message to the Court. Luthra asks Ramani to show the screenshot.Ramani shows the screenshot to the Judge. Judge says that the original screenshot contains the text box.Luthra suggests: In view of the fact that the text box has not been shown by you in the evidence(print out) given to the court, you have filed only a cropped version of the screenshot.; Ramani: It is correct that the text box has been cropped out.It is wrong to suggest that the screenshot has been tampered with, Ramani. It is correct that I have not mentioned the date on which I took the screenshot of the WhatsApp messages or took the print out.., Ramani.It is wrong to suggest that I have not mentioned the procedure that I adopted for taking out the print out, Ramani.It is wrong to suggest that I have given a false certificate under Section 65B Evidence Act to support my defense, Ramani.Luthra: Do you know that when one takes a screenshot, it is saved in png, jpeg format?; Ramani: Yes.It is correct that I have not filed on record any pendrive or CD containing the screenshot, Ramani.I checked my twitter record with respect to a corrigendum issued by me. Since there were a lot of tweet threads and I was unable to find my clarification, Ramani.On 24th October, I reactivated my twitter account to check for the clarification. As on today it is again deactivated, Ramani.It is wrong to suggest that as per terms and conditions of Twitter, after 30 days of deactivation, the account is deleted. Twitter gives an option to deactivate your account for one year, she adds.It is wrong to suggest that all the details of the alleged event described by me are a figment of my imagination and are a work of fiction, Ramani.It is wrong to suggest that I had made the allegations against the complainant for oblique motive and not to empower women, Ramani.It is wrong to suggest that I have malafide and extraneous motive for making the allegations against Akbar, Priya Ramani.It is wrong to suggest that my conduct as a journalist has been unethical as I had neither identified my sources nor attributed credits, Ramani.It is wrong to suggest that what I have done by publishing the tweets was wrong, defematory and malicious, Ramani.It is wrong to suggest that it has harmed the reputation of the complainant. It is wrong to suggest that my tweets and publication had nothing to do with “doing the right thing”, Ramani.It is wrong to suggest that I have deposed falsely, Ramani.Cross examination concludes. Matter to be taken up next on December 10.. Read an account of the first round of cross-examination of MJ Akbar on May 4 here, the second round on May 20 here. and the third round on July 6 here..Read an account of the first round of examination of witnesses produced on behalf of Akbar on July 15 here, the second round of examination on July 17 here and the third round of examination on August 2 here..On August 23, the Court started recording the statement of Priya Ramani. An account of the first round of this can be read here, an account of the second round can be read here and an account of the third round can be read here..Bar & Bench is available on WhatsApp. For real-time updates on stories, Click here to subscribe to our WhatsApp.