MJ Akbar Denies All Allegations By Priya Ramani During Cross-Examination

Former Union minister MJ Akbar on Monday denied all allegations during cross-examination in his defamation case against journalist Priya Ramani , Bar&Bench reported.

Akbar had filed a defamation case against Ramani after sexual harassment allegations against him surfaced on social media during the #MeToo campaign in India.

As lawyer Rebecca John cross-examined Akbar, he denied meeting Ramani for a job interview in a hotel room and aspects of the incident which Ramani had detailed in a 2017 article in Vogue India.

Akbar filed the case against Ramani after she identified him as the newspaper editor, unnamed in her article, in October 2018. 

Ramani has pleaded not guilty in the defamation case and was granted bail.

Akbar also denied reading tweets by Kadambari Wade, Shutapa Paul and Shuma Raha which recounted incidents with him.

While admitting Majlie de Puy Kamp had worked as an intern at The Asian Age in 2006-2007, Akbar denied he had read the HuffPost India article in which she accused him of harassment.

Articles on allegations against had also been carried by The Wire and Firstpost. 

Akbar’s cross-examination will continue during the next hearing in the case on 6 July.