Pachauri seeks court permission to enter TERI

A court here on Saturday fixed May 21 to hear the plea of environmentalist R.K. Pachauri seeking modification of an order that bars him from entering The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).

Additional Sessions Judge Raj Kumar Tripathi posted the matter for May 21 for further hearing.

Pachauri, who is facing charges of sexual harassment and currently is on leave from TERI has requested a modification of an earlier court order and permission to resume work from the office premises.

Pachauri said in his plea that the complainant was not posted at TERI premises and therefore there shall be no occasion for him "contacting or attempting to influence or threaten" the individual.

Pachauri has moved the Delhi court seeking modification of its March 21 order which had granted him protection from arrest on the condition that he would not enter the TERI office till the investigation is complete.

"The complainant told court that an application has filed against Pachauri's anticipatory bail in the Delhi High Court and opposed the plea of accused.

The Delhi police also opposed the plea saying that investigation in the case is still going on.

After the sexual harassment complaint Pachauri had stepped down as chairperson of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in February and proceeded on leave from TERI, where he was the director general.

But he has denied the allegations of sexual harassment levelled against him.

Citing several SMS texts, e-mails and WhatsApp messages as evidence, the woman accused Pachauri of sexually harassing her soon after she joined TERI in September 2013 and filed a complaint in February 2015.

Pachauri was granted anticipatory bail on March 21 but was directed not to not enter the TERI office till the investigation is complete and not to leave the country without the court's permission.