In a meeting earlier this week, the Governing Council of TERI decided to sever association with its disgraced former Director-General R.K. Pachauri. Even though his employment contract with TERI expires only in 2017, the Council decided to pay all the dues for the remainder of the tenure and bring an immediate end to it.
It has been decided not to renew his term on the Council which ended on March 31. As a consequence, he will cease to be Executive Vice-Chairman, a post the Council had created for him in February this year.
When contacted by The Hindu , at least two sources who had attended the meeting confirmed that these decisions had been taken.
TERI’s spokesperson confirmed that the Governing Council meeting had taken place and added in an email that “...Dr. Pachauri’s term as a Member of the Governing Council of TERI ended on March 31, 2016. As the post of Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) is co-terminus with this membership, his role as EVC also ended along with his membership of the Council.” Dr. Pachauri headed TERI, which works in sustainable development and climate change, for the past 35 years.
>Dr. Pachauri was removed from the post of DG by the Council in July 2015, four months after an FIR was filed against him alleging sexual harassment and criminal intimidation on the basis of a complaint by a junior woman colleague.
Delhi Police filed a 1,400-page charge sheet in the case in March 2016. The probe is based on text messages and emails exchanged between Dr. Pachauri and the complainant.
The prosecution has named 23 persons, including her friends and colleagues at TERI, as witnesses.
Dr. Pachauri, in turn, has given a complaint about hacking of his electronic devices.
Earlier this year, two more former employees of TERI filed complaints against Dr. Pachauri. One of these two women, a foreign national, alleged sexual harassment by him in 2008 when she was working as his secretary.
On February 8, 2016, the Council created a fresh post, Executive Vice Chairman for him but was forced three days later to ask him to proceed on leave after a group of protesting students refused to accept degrees from him.
On February 12, former Finance Secretary Ashok Chawla was appointed Chairman of the Council.
Other members of the Council are HDFC Chairman Deepak S. Parekh, HSBC India’s former Chairman Naina Lal Kidwai, former Secretary to Government Shailesh Nayak, DSP BlackRock Investment Managers Private Limited Chairman Hemendra Kothari and Dr. Ajay Mathur, who was appointed DG in place of Dr. Pachauri in July last year.
Two foreign nationals are also members: former Member of the Upper House of the Japanese Diet Wakako Hironaka and Henrik O Madsen.
(With inputs from Jacob Koshy)
Pachauri's sexual harassment case
>R.K. Pachauri steps down as IPCC chair
A spokesperson for Dr Pachauri issued a statement that he has informed the IPCC that he has resigned from his position.
>Activists demand Pachauri’s resignation from TERI
Social activists said the accused should set “an example of exemplary conduct” by immediately resigning from the post.
>Pachauri to "provide full cooperation in ongoing investigations"
The 75-year-old Pachauri said he was “committed to providing all assistance and cooperation to the authorities in their ongoing investigations."
Corrections & Clarifications:
>>The sixth paragraph of the report said, “On February 8, 2016 the Council created a fresh post, Executive Governing Council for him…” It is changed to Executive Vice Chairman .
