The Patiala House Court in Delhi on Thursday will hear Bharatiya Janata Party leader MJ Akbar’s criminal defamation complaint against journalist Priya Ramani, who accused him of sexual harassment, PTI reported. Akbar resigned from his position of minister as state for external affairs on Wednesday after 16 women accused him of sexual harassment and misconduct.

Akbar, a former editor, has rejected all allegations against him.

His lawyer Sandeep Kapur said Akbar will ask Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal to prosecute Ramani. “Since we have already filed the defamation case, we will pursue it in the court,” Kapur said. The court has been specially designated to hear cases related to prominent personalities.

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On Monday, Akbar had initiated a defamation case against journalist Priya Ramani, one of the complainants. Twenty former and current employees of The Asian Age, where Akbar once worked, have supported the accusers.

“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 levied against me, also in a personal capacity,” he said in a statement. “I have, therefore, tendered my resignation from the office of Minister of State for External Affairs. I am deeply grateful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj for the opportunity they gave me to serve my country.”

On Sunday, Akbar had said he would consider legal action against the women who have accused him of sexual harassment. After his return from a trip abroad, Akbar had issued a statement in which he called the allegations of misconduct false, fabricated and “spiced up by innuendo and malice”.

Since October 5, several women have used social media to make allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct against various journalists, media professionals and writers.