Pachauri gets interim relief from arrest

The TERI Director-General is facing sexual harassment charges by a woman employee

The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) Director-General R K Pachauri, facing sexual harassment allegations from a woman employee, was on Monday granted interim protection from arrest till Thursday by a Delhi court.

Ruling on his anticipatory bail plea, additional Sessions Judge Raj Kumar Tripathi also issued a notice to the investigating officer of the case and sought his response on Pachauri's application.

Dr R K Pachauri

Appearing for Pachauri, senior advocate Sidharth Luthra said he was seeking anticipatory bail for his client on the ground of the merit of the case, as well as of his illness. The court asked what kind of illness? Luthra said, "We have submitted all the medical records regarding his illness which include cardiac issues and urinary track infection."

He said the court had granted relief to Pachauri from February 19 till today and for that reason, he was moving the anticipatory bail plea.

Climate scientists went ahead with a scheduled meeting in Kenya despite the absence of the United Nations' top climate change official, Rajendra Pachauri.

Experts gathering in Nairobi on Monday said the absence of Pachauri, chairman of the Nobel Prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), would not affect this week's meeting.

"We've all been involved in the discussions and we are well-prepared to manage the meeting," IPCC Secretary Renate Christ said.