Court orders framing of sexual harassment charges against Pachauri

A court here on Friday ordered framing of sexual harassment charges against noted environmentalist R.K. Pachauri, who has been accused of outraging the modesty of his colleague.

Metropolitan Magistrate Charu Gupta fixed October 20 for formal framing of charges under Section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), Section 354A (advances involving unwelcome and explicit sexual overtures) and Section 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the India Penal Code.

However, the court dropped charges under Section 354B (using criminal force against a woman), Section 354D (stalking) and Section 341 (wrongful restraint) levelled against the former chief of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).

The Delhi Police had booked him under the sections related to use of criminal force against a woman, stalking and others.

Pachauri was accused of sexually harassing a female colleague in 2015. He stepped down as Chairperson of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in February 2015 and proceeded on leave from TERI, where he was the Director General. Later, he also stepped down from his post in TERI.

Pachauri has, however, denied the charges against him.

--IANS

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