Senior advocate Geeta Luthra, appearing for Akbar in the criminal defamation case, told the court, "Priya Ramani has tweeted defamatory tweets against the complainant. Her second tweet was clearly defamatory and liked by 1200 people."
She added, "Articles in international and national media quoted these defamatory tweets. Tweets are defamatory unless Ramani proves anything."
On Wednesday, Akbar resigned as minister of state for external affairs following a spate of accusations of sexual misconduct levelled by several women against him.
In a statement on Wednesday, Akbar said, “Since I have decided to seek justice in a court of law in my personal capacity, I deem it appropriate to step down from office and challenge false accusations levied against me, also in a personal capacity.”
The minister’s resignation came after he issued a statement on Sunday denying allegations by women journalists who had worked with him. He had said that some allegations were untrue while other accounts did not refer to any offence.
Akbar resigned amid a growing view in the BJP that apart from the legal aspects of the allegations, the broader perception over the controversy was damaging. The possibility of the controversy continuing to gain traction as it moved to court and a declaration by 20 women that they were willing to testify against Akbar raised the cost of his continuation as a minister.
Akbar's name had cropped up in the social media campaign #Metoo against alleged sexual harassment when he was in Nigeria on an official tour as an Union Minister.
Section 500 of the IPC provides for the sentence for the offence of defamation and an accused may be awarded two-year jail term or fine or both in the event of conviction.
(With agency inputs)
from Times of India https://ift.tt/2RY1lrm
