Ghazala Wahab Shares How MJ Akbar Sexually Harassed Her

After MJ Akbar's counsel Geeta Luthra concluded the cross-examination of prime accused Priya Ramani in the defamation case he filed against her, another journalist, Ghazala Wahab came forward today to record her statement in a Delhi court. In the court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vishal Pahuja, Wahab took the stand to share her account starting from her background as the first person in her family to step out of Agra for work 25 years ago.

Luthra interrupted Wahab several times while she was giving details of her life and journey, to which Rebecca John, the lawyer of Ramani, objected to the “continuous rattling of the witness.” Luthra and John had an exchange of words about the relevance of Wahab's background to her defence. Ultimately, John cited several numbers of times Akbar brought up reputation stating how his reputation has been damaged as a fact in his complaint.

Also read: Priya Ramani’s Friend Takes The Stand In MJ Akbar Defamation Case

“I am entitled to say we contest his reputation that Akbar's reputation is suspect. I'm entitled to attack his reputation and that is our defence,” said John recorded Surekha Pillai in a tweet thread.

“There are multiple reasons why I'm seeking to produce this witness and it's not just for contesting reputation. My client's defence is that me too movement allowed many women to come out with their stories and Ghazala's is one such story,” John added.

Wahab started by listing out her professional background and publications before the court. She went on to recount that when she joined the Asian Age, she started with reporting to Kaushik Mittal after which she was transferred to the features section where she reported to Poonam Saxena. In the midst of 1996, the office of Asian Age moved from KG Marg to Tolstoy Marg because the former office was getting renovated. When in 1997, they returned to the previous office, only Akbar's office, Bureau and Features Office was placed on the second floor.

She said that she also reported to Meenal Baghel after Saxena. In the same year, she got promoted as the Sub-Chief Editor in which case, she started to report directly to Akbar. “My desk was placed in such a way, that Akbar could easily see me from his office even when the door was only slightly ajar. Many times while I was working on my computer when I looked up from my screen I found Mr Akbar watching me,” she deposed.

Ghazala remembered that Akbar used to keep the door of his room open, only shutting them during meetings. He also started sending her private messages through Asian Age's Intranet Messaging Service pertaining to her clothes and appearance.

“In August-September of 1997, Akbar called me to his room. When I went inside, he asked me to shut the door, and then asked me to look up a word in the dictionary which was placed on a low height stool across his desk,” she said adding that the dictionary was kept so down below that she had to squat to get it and when she did, “Akbar came from behind and held her waist.”

to look up a word in the dictionary which was kept in a low three legged stool across the desk. it was kept so low one had to either bend down or squat. as I squatted Akbar came up behind me quietly and held me by my waist. I was shocked and stumbled almost losing my balance

— Surekha (@surekhapillai) December 10, 2019

mr akbar helped to my feet and ran his hands from my breasts to my hips. I tried to push his hands away but they were firmly planted on my waist. I was numbed with fear and shock. not only was the door shut his back was blocking it. then he started to rub his thumb on the side

— Surekha (@surekhapillai) December 10, 2019

of my breast. finally he released me and I ran into the toilet to cry. the enormity of this violation and humiliation overwhelmed me completely. the next day mrakbar sent me a message from the intranet (luthra intervenes with objection, judge asks her to record her objection

— Surekha (@surekhapillai) December 10, 2019

in totality after the statement is over). statement continues: the next day akbar asked be to come inside. I knocked and entered. before I could react he shut the door trapping me between the door and his body. he held me by my shoulder and bent to kiss me. I clamped my mouth

— Surekha (@surekhapillai) December 10, 2019

and turned to one side. I was speechless with fear but continued to push him away. finally he released me I ran out of his office crying down the stairs outside the suryakiran building looking for a lonely spot. I sat on the pavement and continued to cry.

— Surekha (@surekhapillai) December 10, 2019

my colleague who saw me run out of the office crying followed me to the parking. she came and sat next to me and asked me gently what had happened. I told her everything. she suggested that we go back to the office and I speak with seema mustafa who was the bureau chief

— Surekha (@surekhapillai) December 10, 2019

@ghazalawahab : I told my bureau chief Seema Mustafa that akbar had forcibly kissed me. I was hoping she would confront him but she said she was not surprised by his behaviour and told me what I wanted to do was my call

— Harinder Baweja (@shammybaweja) December 10, 2019

@ghazalawahab : I sent a message to Mr Akbar telling him that I held him in high regard but his unwelcome sexual advances unacceptable. I told him I didn't want him to behave like that again. He called my yo my room and said I was rebuffing his genuine emotions

— Harinder Baweja (@shammybaweja) December 10, 2019

“My desk was placed in such a way, that Akbar could easily see me from his office even when the door was only slightly ajar. Many times while I was working on my computer when I looked up from my screen I found Mr Akbar watching me,”

Wahab narrated that while she realised that she should have quit the job at that time, her financial situation did not allow her to. In the same year in December, Akbar proposed that he shift her to Ahmedabad as features editor wherein he said that he would provide her with an apartment. Additionally, he told her that whenever he would come to Ahmedabad, he would stay with her, Wahab claimed. While initially, Wahab didn't say anything but she resolved within her to not go and quit which she eventually did.

Traumatic but powerful testimony by @ghazalawahab 'I gave my resignation to Rachna Grover. Instead of taking the flight to Ahmedabad, I stayed at home. Akbar called me in the evening having discovered that I had resigned. He was furious. I was scared he would land up home'

— Harinder Baweja (@shammybaweja) December 10, 2019

Also read: MJ Akbar’s Witness Rejects Ghazala Wahab’s Account On Stand

She fast-forwarded to 2018 and said, “In Oct 2018 I mustered courage and tweeted saying, wonder when the floodgates would open against @mjakbar. The #MeToomovement enabled me.”

"the me too movement gave women a platform outside the legal framework, to share their ordeal. It gave me courage n I hoped my account will help women find their voices too. So I wrote an article, Akbar, minister and former editor sexually molested me. It appeared in @thewire_in

— Harinder Baweja (@shammybaweja) December 10, 2019