Enough proof against RK Pachauri in sexual harassment case, says Delhi court

NEW DELHI: Holding that there is “sufficient material to proceed against the accused”, a local court today took cognizance of a charge sheet filed against R K Pachauri. The 75-year-old climate expert has been summoned as an accused by the Court in a criminal case against him on charges of sexual harassment at workplace.
In a significant development, the Court has added another section against Pachauri which was absent in the charge sheet filed by the Delhi Police. The section added by the Court is Section 341 of Indian Penal Code (IPC) i.e wrongful restraint.

However, the Court has not taken cognizance of the charge of criminal intimidation- Section 506 of IPC- stated in the police charge sheet.

The Court has summoned Pachauri as an accused to put him to trial under six sections-354/354A/354B/354D/509/341 IPC. The Court has taken cognizance against Pachauri on charges of allegedly outraging the modesty of a woman, sexual harassment, stalking, uttering words to insult the modesty of a woman and wrongful restraint.

Pachauri has been asked to address the Court on the issue of grant of regular bail to him. Pachauri was granted anticipatory bail last March. He will have to apply for regular bail to avoid arrest.
Posting the case for resumed hearing on July 11, the lower Court today ordered “there are several allegations against the accused that he made sexually coloured remarks upon the complainant on several occasions.

He touched the complainant inappropriately on several occasions, despite a clear indication of disinterest and opposition from her side”.

The order further reads “he (Pachauri) also sent inappropriate SMSes; Whatsapp messages and e-mails to the complainant. Printouts of which have been filed along with the charge-sheet. Considering the totality of allegations and other material and documents placed on record, the Court is satisfied that there is sufficient material to proceed against the accused Dr Rajendra Kumar Pachauri for commission of offences u/s 354/354A/354B/354D/509/341 IPC. Cognizance taken accordingly”.

As first reported by ET, the Delhi Police had filed a voluminous charge sheet, running into 1500 pages, against Pachauri on March 1. Former Director of TERI, Pachauri’s contract with the organization was terminated last month by the Governing Council of TERI.

Pachauri was booked by the Delhi Police on February 18, 2015-as first reported by ET- on charges of sexual harassment at workplace, stalking and other charges. Following the registration of the FIR, Pachauri had stepped down from the Chairmanship of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and also from the Prime Minister’s Council on Climate Change.

In May last year he was indicted by the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) on all charges leveled by the complainant in the in-house inquiry.