From tweet to acquittal, here's timeline of Akbar vs Ramani

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New Delhi, February 17

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.

• October 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”.
• October 15: Akbar files criminal defamation complaint before Delhi court.
• October 17: Akbar resigns as Union minister.
• January 29, 2019: Delhi court summons Ramani as accused in the case.
• February 25: Delhi court grants bail to Ramani.
• February 7, 2020: Court starts hearing final arguments in the case.
• September 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.
• October 22: District judge refuses to transfer the case to another court and sends it back to the magistrate who was hearing the matter.
• November 18: Judge hearing the case transferred.
• November 21: New judge starts hearing afresh the final arguments in the case.
• February 1, 2021: Court reserves the verdict after both the parties complete their final arguments.
• February 10: Judgment adjourned to February 17 due to late submission of written submissions.
• February 17: Ramani acquitted, court dismisses the complaint filed by Akbar saying that no charges were proved against her. PTI