Pachauri defamation: Delhi HC to continue hearing petitioner's plea today

The Delhi High Court on Friday will continue hearing the plea filed by women's right lawyer Vrinda Grover seeking deference of trial and quashing of two orders of a trial court, which include directions to file a list of witnesses and evidences within one week in the civil defamation case filed by former Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) chief R.K. Pachauri.

In her plea, Grover alleged that the trial court had listed the matter for recording of evidence between June 19 and 30, despite her unavailability.

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued a notice to Pachauri on the aforementioned plea.

Grover moved the court against a trial court order to hear during the summer vacation a Rs. one crore-defamation case against her and another woman by the former TERI chief.

The petition came up for hearing before Justice C. Hari Shankar, who recused from hearing the matter, citing personal reasons and said that it would be heard by some other bench.

Pachauri was charged with sexual harassment by a woman researcher, who used to work directly under the veteran climate scientist and later resigned from her job as she felt 'let down' by the TERI chief.