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Qasim Akhtar, known for his role as Zeedan Nazir on ITV’s Coronation Street, is set to receive a significant financial settlement from the publisher of The Sun following a libel claim in the High Court. Akhtar, who appeared on the soap from 2014 to 2018 and returned between 2021 and 2023, initiated legal action against News Group Newspapers (NGN) earlier this year over false allegations made against him.
The Sun had published a story accusing Akhtar of associating with the Islamic cleric Uthman ibn Farooq, as well as linking him to extremism, radicalisation, and violence. Furthermore, the article falsely claimed that Akhtar had relocated to Pakistan and undergone weapons training. The newspaper later issued an unreserved apology to the actor for the severe harm and distress caused by these inaccurate accusations.
This defamatory article was circulated both online and in the printed edition of The Sun in November. Although Akhtar, who has also appeared in TV series such as Shameless and Waterloo Road, was not present during the court hearings, his legal representative, Daniel Taylor, conveyed a statement on his behalf. Taylor confirmed that NGN had consented to pay substantial damages along with covering Akhtar’s legal expenses.
Taylor emphasized that NGN admitted the publication inflicted serious damage on Akhtar’s reputation and caused him considerable emotional distress. The harm extended beyond Akhtar himself, negatively affecting his family life and business activities, which were forced to halt until the case was settled. He also highlighted the additional grievance that the publisher failed to seek Akhtar’s comment regarding the serious claims before the story was released
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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