The Delhi Police has registered a first information report (FIR) against Rajendra Pachauri, the director-general of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) after a woman research analyst lodged a complaint alleging harassment.
The complainant is a 29-year old woman who works as a research analyst in Pachauri’s office at TERI.
According to the FIR, lodged at the Lodhi Colony police station in New Delhi, Pachauri was booked under Sections 354, 354A, 354D, 506 of IPC, pertaining to outraging the modesty of a woman, sexual harassment, stalking, and criminal intimidation.
RK Pachauri has himself not offered comment. But his office at TERI released a statement on Wednesday, stating that the matter was subjudice and no further comment would be offered till the investigation was completed.
Prashant Mehndiratta, a senior Delhi High Court lawyer who represents the complainant, spoke exclusively to The Quint, confirming the news.
“An FIR has been registered and we believe that the matter is being investigated by the police. The complainant has been asked to furnish all the evidence that is available with her against Mr. Pachauri, which she shall be doing shortly. We are hoping the investigation is carried out fairly and brought to the logical end. There is ample evidence in the form of SMSes, WhatsApp messages and emails, which have been sent by Mr. Pachauri and point at a clear case of sexual harassment against him.”
Mehndiratta also added that the complainant continues to work with TERI, where she had lodged a complaint in the internal complaint committee.
“She had filed a complaint. But 10 days have lapsed and Mr. Pachauri has not come out up with any reply to the complaints as yet.
Pachauri received the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2007.
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