Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal on Tuesday summoned journalist Priya Ramani to appear on February 25 in the defamation case filed by former Union minister MJ Akbar after she levelled allegations of sexual misconduct against him.

Priya was among the first to name Akbar in the wake of the #MeToo movement that rocked the country last year, following which he resigned as Union minister  and went on to file a criminal defamation complaint against Ramani. Ramani accused Akbar of sexual misconduct around 20 years ago, which was denied by him.

The court had in the last two months recorded the statements of witnesses in support of the case filed by Akbar. All three said they were extremely “distressed and dismayed” as grave damage has been caused to his reputation due to the allegations.

—India Legal Bureau