Priya Ramani's allegations not true: M.J. Akbar

Former Union Minister M.J. Akbar on Saturday told a Delhi court that sexual misconduct allegations levelled against him by journalist Priya Ramani were not true.

During his cross-examination, the former Minister of State for External Affairs told Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal that he was not selective in filing a defamation suit against Ramani and did not intend to target her.

"It is also wrong to suggest that Ramani's disclosures in her tweets and articles relating to me were true and made in good faith," he said. 

After concluding Akbar's cross-examination, the court posted the matter for further hearing and for cross-examining other complainant witnesses on July 15. 

Akbar, a journalist-turned-politician, has cited seven witnesses to prove his charges against Ramani, who was the first in a long list of female journalists to accuse him of sexual harassment. IANS