Former Union Minister M.J. Akbar and journalist Priya Ramani on Tuesday declined any settlement between them in a criminal defamation complaint filed by him against the her for her tweets accusing him of sexual harassment.
Senior advocate Geeta Luthra, appearing for Mr. Akbar, said her client would consider closing the defamation suit if Ms. Ramani was apologetic for her allegations.
Ms. Ramani’s counsel, Bhavook Chauhan, said she stood by her statement and if Mr. Akbar wanted to withdraw the complaint, he may do so.
‘All doors shut?’
The statements came after Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Ravindra Kumar Pandey, who started hearing afresh the final arguments in the case, asked if all doors are shut for any settlement between the parties in the suit.
Judge Pandey started hearing afresh the final arguments in the case as the previous judge, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vishal Pahuja, was transferred to another court last week.
At the height of the MeToo movement in 2018, Ms. Ramani accused Mr. Akbar of sexual harassment during his previous role as newspaper editor. Following Ms. Ramani’s accusation, about dozen former colleagues of Mr. Akbar also came out with different allegations against him.
Days before he resigned from his post of Minister of State for External Affairs in October 2018, Mr. Akbar filed a criminal defamation case against Ms. Ramani citing her open letter published in a magazine and her tweets naming him.
