A Delhi court, on Wednesday, acquitted Priya Ramani, a journalist, of criminal defamation in a suit filed by former Indian Minister, M. J.  Akbar.

Delivering judgment, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ravindra Kumar Pandey held that the complainant failed to prove the case of criminal defamation brought against Ms. Ramani.

The court also held that the right to reputation cannot be protected at the cost of the right to dignity.

“The woman has the right to put up her grievance even after decades,’’ the court said.

It cited a similar case in the past between Ramayana and the Mahabharata as a ground for the judgement.

The court further held that “Women cannot be punished for raising their voice against sexual abuse in the pretext of complaint of defamation.

“The woman has the right to put her grievance at any platform of her choice and even after decades.’’

The court also ruled that even a man of social status could be a sexual harasser, adding that sexual abuse takes away dignity and self-confidence.