Akbar sues journalist over harassment allegations
NEW DELHI: Union Minister M J Akbar on Monday filed a criminal defamation complaint against a journalist, Priya Ramani, who had accused him of sexual harassment amidst the raging #Metoo movement in the country.
Akbar has been accused of harassment by several women journalists who had worked with him. He has denied the charges as “false, wild and baseless”.
Akbar, in his complaint, said that it was apparent that the false narrative against him was being circulated in a motivated manner and for the fulfilment of an agenda.
Around a dozen women journalists have accused Akbar of harassment and molestation, leading to a growing chorus for his ouster as the Minister of State for External Affairs.
Countering the charges, Akbar claimed that false and defamatory statements which were widely published in the media had caused irreparable loss to his reputation.
Akbar’s complaint was filed in the Patiala House court complex.
Akbar has sought Ramani’s prosecution under Section 500 (defamation) of the Indian Penal Code.
He alleged that Ramani wilfully, deliberately, intentionally and maliciously defamed him by making a completely false and frivolous statement which has harmed his goodwill and reputation within the political fraternity, media, friends, family, colleagues and society at large.
“That the scandalous allegations levelled by the accused against the complainant (Akbar) herein, by their very tone and tenor, are ex facie defamatory and have not only damaged the goodwill and reputation of the complainant, in his social circles and on the political stage, established after years of toil and hard work, but have also affected the personal reputation of the complainant in the community, friends, family and colleagues, thereby causing him irreparable loss and tremendous distress,” said the complaint filed by advocate Sandeep Kapur.