A Delhi court on Saturday granted anticipatory bail to R.K. Pachauri, director-general of TERI, in a sexual harassment case. It rejected the Delhi Police plea for recall of the February 26 order giving him protection from arrest.
Additional Sessions Judge R.K. Tripathi granted bail to Mr. Pachauri on condition that he will cooperate in the investigation as and when called; will not enter the TERI premises; will not contact the complainant or witnesses either directly or indirectly; and will not leave the country without the permission of the court.
Mr. Pachauri is on leave from The Energy and Resources Institute since February when the harassment case was filed against him.
The judge had on the last date of hearing kept his anticipatory bail pending while granting him protection from arrest till March 27.
The police in its application had sought recall of the February 26 order and demanded custody of Mr. Pachauri, alleging that he was influencing witnesses and misusing the liberty granted to him.
However, the court rejected this and said, “there is no substance in the plea of the prosecution for recall of the earlier order to grant interim protection to the accused.”
Earlier, the prosecution alleged that Mr. Pachauri had met one of his assistants and dictated a statement to be given to the police. It also alleged that he was not joining the investigation and that even TERI officials were not cooperating in the probe under his influence.
