Police files charge sheet against Teri chief RK Pachauri

On the day Alok Kumar, the new police commissioner, took charge of office, the Delhi police, on Monday, filed a charge sheet accusing RK Pachauri, executive vice-chairman, The Energy Research Institute (Teri), of sexual harassment and outraging the modesty of a former colleague.

Pachauri has been charged under sections 354, 354A, 354D, 506 and 509 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) that deals with stalking and criminally intimidating the victim with gesture or act intended to insult her modesty. The matter is placed in the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Shivani Chauhan who will decide on the cognizance of the charge sheet on April 23.

Pachauri who has been asked to go on an indefinite leave till the matter has been solved has denied all allegations.

Pratibha Sharma, the Investigating Officer (IO) of this case, filed the charge sheet in south Delhi's Saket District Court earlier on Tuesday. Peter Mendriatta, the advocate for the complainant stated, "According to the IO, the charge sheet runs in more than 1,400 pages and it includes SMSes and emails between my client and Pachauri."

The complainant, a former research associate with Teri accused Pachauri last year of sexually harassing her and filed an FIR against him accordingly. The charges above are in connection with this particular case.

Earlier this year, when Teri promoted Pachauri, a second complainant – also a former researcher at Teri, came forward and accused Pachauri of sexual harassment.

Vrinda Grover, counsel for the second complainant reacted to the charge sheet saying, "It is interesting to note that the charge sheet against Pachauri was filed the instant Bassi (former Delhi police commissioner) left office."

Grover went on to add that when BS Bassi was commissioner, and the DCP did not even make an effort to meet her client. "They (Bassi and DCP South Prem Nath) never even acknowledged my client who was willing to come forward, give evidence and co-operate with the police in this matter."

Grover said that she had sent a letter to the commissioner's office two weeks ago stating her dissatisfaction with the lack of interest in what her client had to say. When Pachauri's promotion was announced, the second complainant released a statement protesting against the same. An excerpt of the statement reads as follows: "RK Pachauri, a serial sexual harasser, who should have been punished by now has actually been rewarded with a new and higher position!...this (Pachauri's promotion) was a mockery of the laws of our country and of the struggles of the complainant's long and difficult struggles."

On February 13, 2015, an FIR was registered against Pachauri and a High court granted him anticipatory bail in the case on March 21, 2016.