On 12 October 2017, Priya Ramani, who is a senior journalist, writes an article for Vogue India titled ‘To the Harvey Weinsteins of the world’. She describes her experience with her senior, an editor who harassed her without naming him.
Two years later, on 8 October 2018 – around the time the MeToo movement picked up pace in India – Ramani tweets, “I began this piece with my MJ Akbar story. Never named him because he didn’t ‘do’ anything. Lots of women have worse stories about this predator – maybe they’ll share.”
Now this was a very big deal because Akbar was a Minister of State at that point of time. Subsequently, over a period of time, 19 – yes 19! – other journalists came out against Akbar, accusing him of sexual harassment, molestation and rape.
Following the allegations, he filed a defamation suit against Ramani, which is an ongoing case. But why talk about it now? Because it's the very first time that Ramani has given her statement in the Rouse Avenue trial court.
In this episode, we talk about the defamation suit filed by Akbar against Ramani, over what he says are “false” accusations.
The court hearing has been going on since last year and, so far, we've heard Akbar's version of the story, we've heard what his character witnesses had to say, but nothing from Ramani since the tweet. In this podcast, we bring you up to date with the case. Tune in!
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