Mail on Sunday apologises to Mallika, MJ Akbar
'The Mail on Sunday' has apologised to Mallika and MJ Akbar for the stories they ran about the latter's relationship with Mrs Kimberly Quinn, and accepted that "sufficient credence was not given to your (the Akbars') version of events." It has also agreed to pay costs, says a press release issued in London recently.In a letter to MJ Akbar, editor-in-chief of The Asian Age and the Deccan Chronicle, John Wellington, managing editor of The Mail on Sunday, said, "I am writing to confirm that we have absolutely no reason to believe there is any truth in the rumour and apologise to you for any inconvenience." In a separate letter to Mallika Akbar, Wellington said, "I am writing to apologise for any upset that was caused to you by our recent visit and the article that appeared in The Mail on Sunday." He added, "Our front page headline referred to a 'smear' and spoke of dirty tricks. The article inside made clear that the rumours were untrue. We considered there was a public interest in reporting the matter given the extensive coverage which has been given in this country to the story of Mr Blunkett and his affair. We were grateful to you and your husband for your openness in responding to our questions and, once again, I apologise for any upset that you have suffered." The unequivocal settlement followed a vigorous defamation action against The Mail on Sunday, which was successfully handled by Bhadresh Gohil, a founding partner of Arlingtons Sharmas, solicitors, based in Mayfair, London.
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