A former woman colleague of ex-Union minister M.J. Akbar, who had filed a criminal defamation case against journalist Priya Ramani, told a Delhi court on Monday that his reputation has been “destroyed” and “damaged irreparably” due to allegations of sexual misconduct.
Joyeeta Basu, the editor of Sunday Guardian, who appeared as a witness to support Akbar’s case, told Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal that Ramani posted all her tweets “intentionally with a purpose to harm” Akbar’s “reputation and goodwill”. Akbar had founded the Sunday Guardian in 2010.
“I have seen tweets by Priya Ramani dated October 10, 2018, and October 13, 2018. I was overcome by doubts, but I know from the number of questions raised by people, I know personally that his reputation has been destroyed and damaged irreparably,” Basu told the court.
“After reading these tweets by Ramani, I believe that this vilification was conducted and the tweets were published intentionally by Ramani with a purpose to harm Akbar’s good reputation and goodwill in the eyes of society,” Basu said.
The journalist said that she has worked with Akbar for 20 years and had not heard anything “untoward” from the staff of the organisation where they worked together. He was a public figure who was held in high esteem.
“I have always held Akbar in high regard. He has been perfectly professional in his dealings with me. He has always been a tough taskmaster, a thorough professional and a brilliant teacher,” Basu said.
She said that she considered Akbar to be “a brilliant journalist, a scholarly writer and a thorough gentleman with an impeccable reputation”.
