Akbar records his statement in defamation case against Ramani

NEWDELHI: Former Union minister MJ Akbar deposed before a Delhi court on Wednesday in a criminal defamation case he filed against journalist Priya Ramani for referring to him as a “predator” in tweets that she published as part of the #Metoo movement.

Recording his statement before the court, Akbar asserted he had filed a criminal defamation complaint against Priya Ramani for a series of tweets that she published. “The defamatory/ offending portion, in particular, apart from the rest of the article, is when she referred to me as a ‘predator’ and an expert on ‘so-and-so’. The tweets have caused defamation to my reputation,” he said, referring to a tweet linked to an article Ramani published in Vogue magazine when the #Metoo movement over sexual harassment allegations began in the US in October 2017.

Akbar stepped down as minister of state for external affairs on October 17 after filing a defamation case against Ramani on October 15. A number of other women have accused him of sexual harassment and i nappropriate behaviour at various stages of his journalistic career.

Testifying in court through his counsel, senior advocate Geeta Luthra, Akbar said: “...there was an immediate damage because of the scurrilous nature of these concocted and false allegations. I was attacked in my personal capacity about...fabricated nonevents allegedly done two decades ago....” Pointing out alleged loopholes in Ramani’s tweets, he said, “The opening line of this tweet showed one anomaly.when the article was first published, it did not include my name. Ramani stated that my name was not included and said it was because I had done nothing. This is mentioned in the tweet as well.”

Ramani had earlier responded to the defamation suit filed by Akbar, saying: “Needless to say, I am ready to fight allegations of defamation laid against me, as truth and the absolute truth is my only defence”.the case will be heard next on November 12.