MJ Akbar files defamation suit against women; calls accusation false, malicious

Indian government minister M.J. Akbar filed a defamation suit on Monday against one of at least 10 women accusing him of sexual harassment, calling the accusations false and malicious.

The lawsuit, a copy of which was reviewed by Reuters, names journalist Priya Ramani as the sole accused and says that she "intentionally put forward malicious, fabricated and salacious" allegations to harm his reputation.

Ramani was not immediately reachable for comment.

In a one-page statement on Sunday, Akbar described multiple allegations of sexual harassment levelled against him as "wild and baseless".