In a heated exchange between lawyers of both parties, former Union Minister M.J. Akbar recorded his statement in a Delhi court on Saturday saying that the allegations levelled by journalist Priya Ramani against him were defamatory and mala fide. Ramani was the first in a long list of female journalists to accuse Akbar, a journalist-turned-politician, of sexual harassment. Meanwhile, the two-hour-long hearing witnessed several interruptions as Luthra raised objections on various questions asked by Ramani’s counsel Rebecca John while cross-examining Akbar. However, the court allowed John to proceed, saying it was a criminal defamation case and “she has the liberty to defend herself”. As the examination of Akbar remained incomplete, the court listed the matter for the further hearing on May 20.

Source: Hindustan Times May 04, 2019 10:07 UTC