A Delhi court on Saturday summoned former TERI Director-General R. K. Pachauri in the molestation case filed by a former woman researcher at the research body.
Taking cognisance of the charge sheet filed by the Delhi police in March this year, Metropolitan Magistrate Shivani Chauhan said there was sufficient material to proceed against Dr. Pachauri under Indian Penal Code sections 354, 354A and 341 among others.
The woman had filed a complaint against Dr. Pachauri in February last year.
However, the court dropped charges of criminal intimidation against Dr. Pachauri.
“There are several allegations against the accused that he made sexually coloured remarks upon the complainant on several occasions, despite a clear indication of disinterest and opposition from her side. He also sent inappropriate SMSs, Whatsapp messages and emails to the complainant,” the judge said. The police have cited 23 persons as prosecution witnesses.
When the woman had filed a complaint againt Dr Pachauri last year, he had immediately moved a Delhi court for anticipatory bail. The court had initially restrained the police from arresting him. Counsel for Dr. Pachauri had then submitted before the court that the allegations against him were false.
Later, the court had granted him anticipatory bail in March last year.
The story so far
February 18, 2015 : A 29-year-old woman researcher, who had worked in TERI, filed the first case of sexual harassment against R.K. Pachauri.
February 26, 2015 : Lawyer Vrinda Grover brought to light two more cases of sexual harassment of women employees in TERI. But Delhi police did not register their cases.
May 22, 2015 : The Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) at TERI gave its decision indicting R.K. Pachauri in the sexual harassment case
May 29, 2015: TERI obtained a decision from the industrial tribunal in Delhi annulling the ICC verdict against him on grounds that the principles of natural justice were not followed by the said Committee.
July 23, 2015: R.K. Pachauri was removed as TERI Director-General and Ajay Mathur of Bureau of Energy Efficiency was appointed in his place
February 8, 2016 : R.K. Pachauri was promoted as TERI Executive Vice Chairman, a post created for him.
February 10, 2016: One of the woman employees of TERI, whose sexual harassment complaint against R.K. Pachauri had not been registered, came out with a detailed statement on the nature of the abuse
February 11, 2016: R.K. Pachauri went on leave
March 1, 2016 : Delhi police filed its charge sheet in the first complaint of sexual harassment, for which an FIR had been lodged earlier
March 30, 2016: A third victim, a researcher from Europe, came out with a statement about the sexual harrassment she had suffered at the hands of R.K. Pachauri, while at TERI.
April, 2016: The TERI council asked Mr. Pachauri to leave his post as Executive Vice Chairman, which was created for him.
