#MeToo: Woman journalist supports fellow scribe's accusations against M J Akbar in Delhi court

A woman journalist alleged in a Delhi court on Tuesday that former Union Minister M J Akbar sexually harassed her in 1997 while she was working in a newspaper being edited by him.

The woman made the submissions in her deposition before the court as a witness appearing in support of scribe Priya Ramani in a criminal defamation complaint filed against her by Akbar.

Akbar, who resigned as Union minister on October 17 last year, filed a private criminal defamation complaint against Ramani after his name cropped up on social media as the #MeToo campaign raged on in India.

Ramani, during the movement last year, accused Akbar of sexual misconduct around 20 years ago. She worked at the Asian Age from January to October in 1994.

Ramani told the court that woman's deposition demolished Akabr's claim that he had an "impeccable reputation".

In her deposition, the witness -- Gazala Wahab -- told the court, "My desk was right outside Akbar's office in a manner that if his door was slightly open he could watch me. Many a times I saw him watching me. If there was a visitor the door was closed and when he was alone the door would be open. Later he started sending me private messages on Asian Age's internal messaging service about my clothes and appearances."
Ramani told the court that "Wahab's is a completely separate story which is being told to demolish Akbar's claim."