New Delhi, Sept. 19 -- Delhi High Court on Friday directed that the appeal filed by former Union Minister M J Akbar in his defamation case against journalist Priya Ramani be listed before the special bench that hears matters concerning sitting and former MPs and MLAs.

The bench of Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri passed the order, noting that the matter involved a former Member of Parliament. The case will now come up before Justice Ravinder Dudeja on October 15.

The appeal challenges the trial court's February 17, 2021, judgment acquitting Priya Ramani in a criminal defamation case filed by Akbar over allegations of sexual harassment. Ramani was the first woman to accuse Akbar during India's #MeToo movement in 2018, a disclosure that led to hi...