Court bars Pachauri from entering TERI office

New Delhi, Feb 26: TERI Director-General R K Pachauri, who is facing sexual harassment allegations from a woman employee, was on Thursday barred from entering the office premises by a Delhi court which extended interim protection from arrest granted to him till March 27.

While extending the interim protection from arrest, Additional Sessions Judge Raj Kumar Tripathi also restrained Pachauri from contacting TERI's staff, witnesses in the case and the complainant.

"Accused is directed not to enter TERI office during the course of investigation. He is also directed not to contact TERI's staff, complainant, witnesses or tamper with evidences and will join investigation after being released from hospital," the judge said.

"Accused is also directed not to leave country without prior permission from the court. He be not arrested till next date of hearing of the case i.e March 27," the court said, adding that "his anticipatory bail application will be taken up for final disposal on March 27."

Senior advocate Sidharth Luthra, appearing for Pachauri, requested the judge to extend the stay till March 28 as he would be unable to appear before it due to some engagements.

The court which initially extended the interim protection till March 28, later on said that the matter will be heard on March 27 and the stay would continue till then.

During the hearing, investigating officer (IO) Pratibha Sharma submitted a status report as directed by the court in which it was said that complainant's statement has been recorded under section 164 before the magistrate and "as the allegations are extremely serious in nature which requires custodial interrogation of the alleged (Pachauri)."

The status report said that Pachauri is "deliberately avoiding joining of investigation on the pretext of ill health" and his conduct is "not bonafide in following the process of law."

"The anticipatory bail application of the alleged (Pachauri) is strongly opposed at this stage as granting bail to the alleged will certainly affect the investigation of the case," the report said.

PTI