Court to hear Pachauri's plea to enter TERI office on May 21

A Delhi court today adjourned for May 21, the hearing of TERI Director General R K Pachauri's plea seeking permission to enter his office after the complainant submitted that she has filed a plea before High Court for cancellation of his anticipatory bail.

Additional Sessions Judge Raj Kumar Tripathi said judicial propriety demands that the matter be heard only after the Delhi High Court decides plea for cancellation of anticipatory bail of accused.

"In the course of proceedings it was informed by the counsel for complainant that a plea has already been filed for cancellation of anticipatory bail of the accused. The matter is listed for hearing before the High Court on May 20. As a matter of judicial propriety let the present application seeking modification of earlier order be listed on May 21," the court said.

During the hearing, senior advocate Ramesh Gupta appearing for Pachauri sought modification of earlier order of the court barring him from entering The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) premises till the investigation is over saying that in the past two months he has not been asked by the Investigating Officer to join the probe.

He said that major part of investigation is over and the complainant has recorded her statements and his electronic gadgets like laptop, cell phones are already with the police.

"Purpose of condition imposed by the court while granting him anticipatory bail was that he does not interfere with the investigation but it does not mean that his rights are violated," he submitted.

On March 21, Pachauri was granted anticipatory bail by the court which had rejected the request of police for his custody in molestation case.

The court had granted him anticipatory bail by imposing several conditions on him including that he will join the probe as and when called, he will not enter TERI office premises and not intimidate or threaten the complainant and the witnesses of the case.

On February 13, an FIR was registered against Pachauri on charges of sexual harassment under IPC sections 354, 354(a), 354(d) (molestation) and 506 (criminal intimidation).