A second charge alleging sexual harassment has emerged amid the furore over Pachauri's elevation to the specially created post of Executive Vice-Chairman at The Energy and Research Institute (Teri).
The Delhi High Court on Thursday reserved its order to cancel R K Pachuari's plea for anticipatory bail in a sexual harassment charge levelled against him. A second charge alleging sexual harassment has emerged amid the furore over Pachauri's elevation to the specially-created post of Executive Vice-Chairman at The Energy and Research Institute (Teri).
Peter Mendriatta, the victim's lawyer filed the plea for quashing of the anticipatory bail on four grounds. Mendriatta stated, that not only was Pachauri influencing witnesses in the case he was also interfering with the investigation. The third point that emerged was a claim made by Delhi Police that Teri was "not giving them access to their internal servers which may contain crucial evidence of sexual harassment in the of emails."
The fourth and most telling point that Mendriatta stated was a complaint letter filed by Rahul Singh, the victim's friend and colleague, which said that he was approached by "senior directors and the area convener get the complainant to settle the matter out of court." This was confirmed by the Delhi Police in a status report they filed in front of Justice S P Garg who was hearing the case.
Singh, a research analyst, who resigned from Teri in January, filed a police complaint on January 12 alleging that senior director and the area convener of Teri approached him to get the victim to withdraw her complaint.
According to Singh, the request came to "save the image of Teri."
Singh maintained that Teri Senior Director Sanjay Joshi called him to his office and stated the request to get the matter settled. Alok Adholeya, Singh's direct boss at the time spoke to him twice to facilitate a meeting with the victim and get her to withdraw the complaint.
According to the police, when asked, Joshi agree he and Adholeya had "casually" spoken to Singh on their own behest as they wanted to "save the image of TERI in the media." When the police interrogated Dr Reena Singh, the Area Convener, she maintained that she never spoke about any settlement, she was merely listening to Rahul's opinion on this matter and reacting to his comments.
Advocate Ashish Dixit, representing Pachauri argued that since the plea for quashing the report was filed through Mendiratta, "no cognizance of the frivolous application be taken." It went on to state that the victim was currently not in the country and the application filed on Mendriatta's personal affidavit is not permissible under law.
Justice Garg then questioned the police and asked them about the status of the charge sheet in this case. The counsel for Delhi Police replied in the affirmative claiming that a draft of the charge sheet is ready and has been sent to the prosecution branch for inspection. The counsel for the police went on to add the charge sheet would be filed within 15 days.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Pachauri")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}