New Delhi, October 14: A suspense has built up over the resignation of Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar who has been accused of sexual harassment in the ongoing #MeToo movement. While a report said Akbar has sent his resignation to the PMO via an e-mail, his office said he has not resigned yet. Akbar is likely to issue a statement soon.

There was a report that Akbar tendered his resignation and sought a meeting with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. However, there is no clarity over the junior minister's resignation. A high-level meeting was reportedly underway where Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his principal secretary Nripendra Misra were present. #MeToo in India: Rahul Gandhi Breaks Silence, Says 'Space Closing For Those Who Don't Treat Women With Respect'.

Earlier today, Akbar returned from a tour of Africa and evaded a barrage of questions from the media over the allegations and only said he would issue a statement later on. “There will be a statement later on,” he told reporters at the airport. Several ministers had said the BJP high command that Akbar’s position in the government had become untenable.

During the #MeToo campaign, more than half a dozen women journalists have accused Akbar of sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour when he was working as an editor at different media houses. On Friday, a CNN scribe Majlie de Puy Kamp accused Akbar of forcibly kissing her when she was interning with the Asian Age in 2007.

Earlier this week, FORCE magazine Executive Editor Ghazala Wahab, in an article on a news portal, wrote an account of her "harrowing experience" with Akbar. Former Mint Lounge Editor Priya Ramani, who wrote about a predatory "celebrity editor" without naming anyone in a piece last year, on Monday publicly identified Akbar as the central character of her article.

Other female journalists who have levelled allegations against Akbar include Prerna Singh Bindra, Sujata Anandan, Shuma Raha, Harinder Baweja and Anju Bharti.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 14, 2018 02:18 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).