EXCLUSIVE: Why Is Pachauri Still TERI Boss - Survivor Writes to PM

Why does Pachauri still head TERI? Read exclusive excerpts of the TERI sexual harassment survivor’s letter to PM Modi

The Quint is in exclusive possession of the letter written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi by the TERI sexual assault survivor.

In the letter she alleges that RK Pachauri’s dismissal was a sham and that TERI has actually welcomed him back. 

Citing the circumstances and specifications of her case against RK Pachauri, she has urged the Prime Minister to intervene.

At a time when you and your government are highlighting sexual harassment at the workplace through radio adverts, implementing new guidelines for the Department of Personnel and Training to protect women’s right at the workplace, I urge you to take cognizance of a case where a highly influential person has been held guilty but still continues to work in the same organization where people are yet to depose in the case against him. This while I am made to sit at home (sic).

After RK Pachauri was sacked from TERI, the survivor in an exclusive interview to The Quint had insisted that he was actually given a pleasant send off. She alleges that the decision to replace Pachauri with Ajay Mathur was to silence the media.

In a letter to the Prime Minister she has claimed that Pachauri has been welcomed back with ‘garlands’ and employees who have raised their voice against his return have been intimidated and now fear for their jobs.

The decision, conveyed in the press release dated 23 July 2015 to “replace” RK Pachauri with Mr. Ajay Mathur was only an attempt to silence public outcry and media pressure (sic). It is extremely shocking and deeply regretful that R.K. Pachauri continues to head the organization and seems to be there to stay. Despite the ICC (Internal Complaints Committee) indictment, the press release lauded the efforts of the DG (Director General RK Pachauri) and made no mention of the fact that he was found guilty by the internal inquiry of TERI (sic). He was instead praised. The guilty has been welcomed back to the organisation with garlands and flowers while I am being shunted out. Concerned employees who have written to the Council members expressing their unrest with that fact that the accused continues to work at TERI have been intimidated and now fear for their jobs.

The survivor alleges that Pachauri does continue to head TERI as Director General and that he also remains Chancellor of TERI University and retains the post of Chairman, TERI.

The survivor says merely removing him from the UN Inter-governmental panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and from Central Government panel has not clipped his wings. The survivor alleges that due to the power and control Pachauri still exercises, witnesses in her case are being threatened and intimidated.

There is fear and terror created within the workplace and witnesses are being influenced. The police too have said repeatedly said this in court. The ICC was subjected to hostility and intimidation in order to sabotage the inquiry outcome. Every neck and arm is working against me and the legal process. From being up against one man, I am now up against an entire system. My only fault being that I did not quit my job and reported a grave wrong-doing. My conscience and patience was dying a slow death and I had to simply speak up. I am losing out on productive time, finances, career and the ordeal is affecting me psychologically adding to the agony and mental distress.

An FIR was registered against Pachauri on 21 February, 2015. The survivor has questioned the transfer of ‘able’ Inspector Ajay Singh who was handling the case. She says Singh had spent close to six months examining 6,000 text messages and over 200 pages of emails. She demands that he be brought back onto the case.

This transfer an able police officer has come as a rude shock to me and left me feeling completely helpless and dejected. Suddenly a new officer has been brought in and all the time already invested by the transferred officer now stands redundant. Why has somebody who did his job so well and efficiently been suddenly sent off packing? (sic)

The survivor has alleged that Pachauri has used his power and position at every stage to manipulate the investigation and silence the media.

The accused obtained an injunction on a day of court holiday (17 Feb, 2015) from the residence of a Judge of the Honorable High Court of Delhi. I believe, a common man cannot get such unprecedented relief. Along with his lawyers, he reached the publishing house at 1.30 am on 18 Feb, 2015 (as per news reports) to stop the matter going to press. The story was removed from the website of the publishing house, respecting the injunction that was granted by Honorable High Court of Delhi but within a few hours the injunction was vacated and the liberty of the Indian Press was upheld (sic).

In her letter she also asks why Pachauri has not been arrested and why no charge sheet has been filed though six months have passed.

As per status reports, the police have stated that responses given by the accused during questioning were evasive and he was not cooperating with the investigating agencies. Yet, he was given interim protection from arrest for three days and thereafter granted anticipatory bail on 21 March, 2015. After an exhaustive 90 days of inquiry, despite intimidation and pressure the Internal Complaints Committee came out with its report on 19 May, 2015 which pronounced their DG guilty of conflict of interest, misuse of designation and violation of the prevention of sexual harassment policy. This report was not acted upon by the Governing Council members of TERI even though they were handed a copy in person. On May 29, 2015 the accused obtained an ex-parte stay from the Industrial Tribunal on the ICC report recommendations.

She further alleges that noted names from corporate India, who are part of TERI’s Governing Council, have colluded with Pachauri by staying silent and not acting at all. 

This report was not acted upon by the Governing Council members of TERI even though they were handed a copy in person. This Governing Council comprises of who’s who of Corporate India: Deepak Parekh, Chairman HDFC Bank Kiran Majumdar Shaw, Chairman, Biocon Ltd. Naina Lal Kidwai, President, HSBC Hemendra Kothari, Chairman, DSP Black Rock Investment Managers Pvt. Ltd Dr. Shailesh Nayak, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences Dr. Henrik. O. Madsen, Group President and CEO, DNV GL Group It is most unfortunate to note their scary silence and inaction on this issue.

She has urged the Prime Minister to act -

Please do not place this letter in a new file to forever lie stacked in a corner shelf in a dark spot
- TERI Sexual Assault Survivor’s Letter to PM Modi

View the full text of the letter here