The Former Union minister MJ Akbar’s defamation case opposed of journalist Priya Ramani will begin on Thursday in the courtroom of Added Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal, a judge who has not only dealt with high-profile defamation cases, but has also been under the constant media scrutiny for orders in cases dealing with political leaders.
Anyone who has been in Judge Vishal’s courtroom can swear by his calm and composed demeanor, even when the courtroom overflows with journalists and litigants alike.
On February 26 this year, the Delhi High Court had set up two special courts in the capital city’s Patiala House Courts premises to deal exclusively with cases against lawmakers. One courtroom is under Special Judge Arvind Kumar and the other is under judge Samar Vishal.
The High Court order came in the backdrop of Supreme Court’s December 2017 order asking state governments and High Courts to set up 12 fast track courts to deal with cases against lawmakers.
Though Akbar’s case will be up for the first hearing on Thursday, judge Vishal’s courtroom is certainly not new to political faces.
Akbar, who has filed a criminal defamation case against journalist Priya Ramani for alleging sexual harassment and causing an “irreparable damage” to his reputation, will face a judge who has handled a defamation case Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as well.
In 2015, a constable, identified as Taneja, had filed a criminal defamation case against Kejriwal in Delhi’s Saket court for referring to the state’s policemen as ‘thulla’. However, the Vishal discharged the Delhi CM over his alleged remark and called the plea not maintainable as the whole police force cannot be treated as an individual for the purposes of the act.
