A lie is a lie MJ Akbar’s wife supports him

NEWS DELHI: NP NEWS 24 ONLINE – A lie is a lie, MJ Akbar’s wife Mallika said Friday as she finally broke her silence on the wide-ranging allegations of sexual misconduct against her husband.

After a US-based journalist accused MJ Akbar of raping her over two decades ago, the former minister has told news agency that the two were in a consensual relationship which “perhaps didn’t end on the best note”.

Over 20 former colleagues of MJ Akbar have called him out in the raging #MeToo movement. He sued one of them for defamation before resigning as junior foreign minister on October 17.

What exactly she said?

Mallika Akbar said that her husband had cheated on her with Pallavi Gogoi, who “caused unhappiness and discord” in the Akbars’ home. Mallika said that MJ Akbar chose to “prioritise” his family after she confronted him with evidence of his extra-marital relationship with Pallavi.

Mallika also said that Pallavi and Tushita Patel — who too has accused Akbar of sexual misconduct — often used to come to the Akbars’ home. “Neither carried the haunted look of victims of sexual assault.”

Akbar’s statement

Meanwhile, Akbar in his separate statement denied the rape allegations and said that he and Pallavi were in a “consensual relationship that spanned several months”.

This “consensual relationship ended, perhaps not on [the] best note,” Akbar also said. Akbar also suggested that various others who worked with him and Pallavi then will bear testimony to his version of events.

Journalist’s statement

“Somewhere around 1994, Ms Pallavi Gogoi and I entered into a consensual relationship that spanned several months. This relationship gave rise to talk and would later cause strife in my home life as well. This consensual relationship ended, perhaps not on best note.”