Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Indian minister Akbar quits over sexual harassment storm

India's fledgling #MeToo movement claimed its highest-profile scalp to date on Wednesday as a government minister and veteran editor quit after at least 20 women accused him of sexual harassment.

MJ Akbar, who became junior foreign minister in prime minister Narendra Modi's government after a glittering journalistic career, maintained however that the barrage of allegations were false.


"Since I have decided to seek justice in a court of law in my personal capacity, I deem it appropriate to step down from office and challenge false accusations against me," he said in a statement.

Allegations against Akbar snowballed last week after journalist Priya Ramani accused him of sexual harassment when the pair worked together in the 1990s.

Akbar was "an expert on obscene phone calls, texts, inappropriate compliments and not taking no for an answer," Ramani had said.

She said that he would often insist on conducting interviews and meetings in hotel rooms.

"As women we feel vindicated by MJ Akbar's resignation. I look forward to the day when I will also get justice in court," she said on Twitter on Wednesday.

Akbar earlier dismissed Ramani's accusations and said he would sue for defamation.

But 20 other women have since offered to testify against him.

Another woman said Akbar cornered and pawed her when she was a junior reporter at the Asian Age newspaper in 1997.

"He ran his hands from my breast to my hips. I tried pushing his hands away, but they were plastered on my waist," wrote Ghazala Wahab on news website The Wire.

"I ran out of his cabin and into the toilet to cry my eyes out," added Wahab, who now works as executive editor of Force magazine.

A third accuser said Akbar had greeted her in his underwear after calling her to his hotel room and then forcibly kissed her.

"Suddenly you got up, grabbed me and kissed me hard -- your stale tea breath and your bristly moustache are still etched in the recesses of my memory," journalist Tushita Patel wrote in an article for Scroll on Tuesday.

She said the incident dated back to 1992 when she was a trainee.

- Bollywood -

India's belated #MeToo movement has made headlines in recent weeks with women sharing accounts of alleged harassment by several powerful men in the worlds of Bollywood, journalism, comedy and even cricket.

The phenomenon remains confined to India's urban elite at present, with vast numbers of women elsewhere in the country lacking either access to justice or a platform to name their tormentors.

The trigger appears to have been actress Tanushree Dutta, who recently accused well-known Bollywood actor Nana Patekar of inappropriate behaviour on a film set 10 years ago.

Patekar has denied the claims.

Last Friday, the production of a Bollywood blockbuster was halted after the film's lead called for the claims against Patekar, his co-star, and the feature's director to be "stringently" investigated.

Three women had accused Khan of sexual harassment the day before the film was halted.

One said Khan had insisted that she strip during an audition while another alleged the director had flashed his penis at her during an interview.

Khan has denied the accusations.

Bollywood director Vikas Bahl has meanwhile been accused of assaulting a female employee of Phantom Films, the production house behind Netflix series "Sacred Games", in 2015.

Bahl has denied the allegations and threatened to sue his accusers for defamation.

The hallowed world of Indian cricket has also not been spared, with the chief of India's powerful cricket board, Rahul Johri, on Friday given a week to explain allegations of sexual harassment.

Johri has yet to comment publicly.

More For You

Andrew Tate Sued by Ex-Girlfriend Brianna Stern Over Sexual Assault Allegations

Tate’s attorney, Joseph McBride, has dismissed the lawsuit

Getty

Andrew Tate faces sexual assault lawsuit from ex-girlfriend Brianna Stern

Social media personality Andrew Tate is facing a new lawsuit from his ex-girlfriend, Brianna Stern, who has accused him of sexual assault, battery, and gender violence. The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles, details allegations of abuse and an incident that allegedly took place at The Beverly Hills Hotel on 11 March 2025.

Allegations in the lawsuit

According to the legal complaint, Stern claims that Tate initially appeared as a "dream come true" but later became emotionally and physically abusive. The lawsuit describes a violent encounter at the hotel, where she alleges Tate physically assaulted and threatened her.

Keep ReadingShow less
Voices of Faith 2025: A journey through spirituality and wisdom

Soumik Datta (R) and Gurdain Singh Rayatt

Voices of Faith 2025: A journey through spirituality and wisdom

Mahesh Liloriya

The inaugural edition of Voices of Faith commenced on Friday at the iconic Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, marking the beginning of an extraordinary three-day festival exploring theological philosophies, interfaith dialogues, and the deeper essence of spirituality through conversations, music, and healing vibes.

Organised by Teamwork Arts, the creators of the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) and JLF London, Voices of Faith is presented by the Kamini and Vindi Banga Family Trust, with the support of Tech Mahindra. Eastern Eye and Garavi Gujarat serve as the official media partners of this landmark event. This unique festival seeks to offer insights into navigating the complexities of modern life through the timeless wisdom enshrined in global religious traditions. It focuses on the universal ideals of compassion and interconnectedness that underpin the world’s faiths, fostering dialogue that transcends barriers and deepens mutual understanding.

Keep ReadingShow less
Court reopens Asian child sex offender's deportation case

Home Office successfully challenged a ruling that allowed him to remain in Britain (Photo for representation: iStock)

Court reopens Asian child sex offender's deportation case

A PAKISTANI man convicted of sexually assaulting a child under 13 will face a fresh deportation hearing after the Home Office successfully challenged a ruling that allowed him to remain in Britain, reported The Times.

The offender, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had initially won his case to stay in the UK after claiming he would face "inhuman or degrading treatment" if sent back to Pakistan due to his alcoholism.

Keep ReadingShow less
India launches Operation Brahma to aid quake-hit Myanmar

Rescue teams work to save residents trapped under the rubble of the destroyed Sky Villa Condominium development in Mandalay on March 29, 2025. (Photo by SAI AUNG MAIN/AFP via Getty Images)

India launches Operation Brahma to aid quake-hit Myanmar

INDIA has swiftly responded to the devastating earthquake in Myanmar by launching Operation Brahma, sending emergency relief and rescue teams to the disaster-stricken nation.

A C-130J military transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force landed in Yangon on Saturday (29), carrying 15 tonnes of relief supplies including hygiene kits, blankets and food parcels. The aid mission comes after a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on Friday (28), killing more than 1,000 people and injuring nearly 2,400 others.

Keep ReadingShow less
Britain’s happiness crisis: UK hits record low in global wellbeing rankings

Pakistan stands at 109th place out of 147 countries

Britain’s happiness crisis: UK hits record low in global wellbeing rankings

THE UK has experienced a significant blow to its national morale, plummeting to 23rd place in the World Happiness Report for 2025 – its lowest ranking ever – despite being the world’s sixth richest nation.

Released to mark the UN’s International Day of Happiness last Thursday (20), the report provided a nuanced exploration of national contentment that extends far beyond economic measurements.

Keep ReadingShow less