#MeToo: Priya Ramani’s allegations of sexual misconduct false, M.J. Akbar reiterates before Delhi court
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Former union minister M.J. Akbar on Saturday reiterated before a Delhi court that the allegations of sexual misconduct made by journalist Priya Ramani in opposition to him have been “fabricated and false”.
Mr. Akbar made the submission before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ravindra Kumar by way of senior advocate Geeta Luthra throughout the closing listening to in a prison criticism filed by him in opposition to Ramani for allegedly defaming him by accusing him of sexual misconduct a long time in the past.
Ms. Ramani had made the allegation of sexual misconduct in opposition to Mr. Akbar in 2018 throughout the #MeToo motion.
Ms. Luthra mentioned that Ramani “removing the tweet when the matter was sub-judice was (in) bad faith“.
“You (Ramani) can’t make allegations on social media without any care and caution or responsibility after 20-30 years,” she mentioned.
She added that after first saying that “Akbar didn’t do anything, you call him media’s biggest predator”.
Ms. Luthra argued that Ms. Ramani had raised contradictory defence.
“You didn’t feel the requirement of evidence of landline record, hotel, petrol receipt, CCTV. It (Ramani’s claim of Akbar’s sexual misconduct in a hotel) is complete hearsay, fabricated and false,” Ms. Luthra mentioned She mentioned that Nilofer, Ramani’s pal and a key witness within the case, was not an eyewitness.
The court will additional hear the matter on January 27.
Mr. Akbar had filed the prison defamation criticism in opposition to Ramani on October 15, 2018. He resigned as union minister on October 17, 2018.
Mr. Akbar had earlier instructed the court that Ramani had defamed him by calling him with adjectives comparable to “media’s biggest predator” that harmed his repute.
He has denied all of the allegations of sexual harassment he confronted from the ladies who got here ahead throughout the #MeToo marketing campaign.
Over 20 girls got here up with accounts of the alleged sexual harassment by Mr. Akbar whereas they have been working as journalists underneath him.
He termed the allegations “false, fabricated and deeply distressing” and mentioned he was taking applicable authorized motion in opposition to them.
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