MJ Akbar said he had filed the defamation case in his "personal" interest.
Scores of journalists, lawyers and onlookers thronged the small court room at Patiala House district courts complex on Thursday to witness the first hearing of the high-profile defamation case filed by former Union minister MJ Akbar against journalist Priya Ramani who accused her of sexual assault.
The curiosity, however, subsided drastically the moment they came to know that neither MJ Akbar nor Ms Ramani would visit the court for their first judicial face-off.
A few lawyers started moving out of the packed court room of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal, who was to commence the hearing at 2 PM.
Similar media frenzy was witnessed during the 2G-scam verdict in December last year.
On Thursday, journalists jostled to enter the court room before the proceedings were to start as advocates - unconnected to the case - had crowded the court room, making it difficult for them to make way.
The judge entered the court room at 2.10 PM and the case was called for a hearing.
Senior lawyer Geeta Luthra, appearing for MJ Akbar, started the argument leading to the magistrate taking cognizance of the complaint.