EXMINISTER MJ AKBAR TO TESTIFY BEFORE COURT ON OCT 31

A Delhi court on Thursday agreed to hear the defamation case filed by former Union minister MJ Akbar against journalist Priya Ramani, who had accused him of sexual harassment.

The Patiala House court will examine statements of Akbar and other witnesses on October 31.

Akbar’s lawyer Geeta Luthra told court that the tweets by Ramani were on the face defamatory. She urged the court to take cognisance of the case and summon the accused.

“Articles in international and national media quoted these defamatory tweets. Tweets are defamatory unless Ramani proves anything,” Luthra said.

“Irreparable damage has been caused to Akbar’s reputation which he has built over 40 years,” ANI quoted Luthra as saying .

The former minister in his petition had said Ramani “intentionally put forward malicious, fabricated and salacious” allegations to harm the editor-turnedpolitician’s reputation.

Ramani has said she is “ready

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