TERI chief R K Pachauri, facing sexual harrassment charges from a woman employee, was today allowed by a Delhi court to travel to the USA and Bolivia to attend a conference on environmental issues.
Metropolitan Magistrate Shivani Chauhan allowed Pachauri to travel from September 25 to October 2 to USA, where he is scheduled to meet various dignitaries and from October 10 to October 15 to Bolivia.
The magistrate also asked him to intimate about his arrival back to India to the Investigating Officer (IO) of the case and the court.
"There is nothing on record which shows that the accused has not cooperated in the investigation...The accused was granted permission to travel abroad by this Court on earlier occasions also and the accused has duly complied with all the conditions imposed upon him," the court said.
"In these circumstances, the accused is permitted to travel to USA between September 25 till October 2 and thereafter to Bolivia from October 9-15," it said while asking him to furnishing of one local surety of Rs four lakh along with an undertaking that he will make himself available to the investigating officer when needed.
The court also directed Pachauri to file a copy of his travel tickets and intimate the court about any changes in his travel itinerary in advance.
Seeking the permission, Pachauri's counsel Ashish Dixit submitted that his client was granted permission to travel abroad by this court on earlier occasions too and the accused has duly complied with all conditions imposed on him.
The investigating officer opposed the plea on the ground that the accused had failed to give satisfactory answer but has joined the investigation.
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).
Pachauri has stepped down from United Nations' IPCC and the Prime Minister's Council on Climate Change.
