Sexual harassment case: Court takes cognisance of chargesheet against R K Pachauri

The court has fixed July 11 for further hearing

A court here on Saturday took cognisance of a chargesheet filed against environmentalist R K Pachauri, accused of sexually harassing a colleague in The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).

Metropolitan Magistrate Shivani Chauhan considered the charge-sheet and fixed July 11 for further hearing.

Delhi Police has charge-sheeted Pachuari, a former executive chairman of TERI under various sections of the Indian Penal Code dealing with assault or criminal force against a woman with intent to outrage her modesty, sexual harassment, stalking, criminal intimidation and words, gestures or acts intended to insult the modesty of a woman.

The police have cited around 23 prosecution witnesses and several text messages, e-mails and WhatsApp messages exchanged between the accused and victim as evidence to support its case.

Pachauri was accused of sexually harassing a female colleague in 2015. He stepped down as chairperson of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in February last year and proceeded on leave from TERI, where he was the director general.

In November, the woman researcher who accused him of sexual harassment quit her job at TERI, alleging she was treated badly. TERI denied the charge.

On February 8, Pachauri was appointed executive vice chairman of the organisation. Following severe criticism, TERI on February 12 asked him to proceed on indefinite leave.