US-based Journalist Pallavi Gogoi alleges M.J. Akbar over sexual harassment

Former Union Minster MJ Akbar, who had to resign as minister over sexual harassment allegations against him, has now been accused of rape by a US-based journalist who worked with him over two decades ago.

MJ Akbar has dismissed the allegations as false, his lawyer told The Washington Post, which has published the first-person account of Pallavi Gogoi, an editor at the National Public Radio (NPR).

Pallavi Gogoi in a post said, "In his hotel room, even though I fought him, he was physically more powerful. He ripped off my clothes and raped me. Instead of reporting him to the police, I was filled with shame. I didn't tell anyone about this then. Would anyone have believed me? I blamed myself. Why did I go to the hotel room?"

She posted a tweeted with a link of her entire story.

Those before me have given me the courage to reach into the recesses of my mind and confront the monster that I escaped from decades ago. Together, our voices tell a different truth @TushitaPatel @SuparnaSharma @priyaramani @ghazalawahab My story https://t.co/DG5dT7TEUU

— Pallavi Gogoi (@pgogoi) November 1, 2018