Sexual harassment case: Pachauri removed as TERI chief, Ajay Mathur appointed new head

New Delhi, July 23: Noted environmentalist RK Pachauri, who is accused of molesting and sexually harassing a junior colleague at environment think-tank The Energy and Resource Institute (TERI), was on Thursday, July 23, removed as the chief.

TERI's internal probe found Pachauri guilty of misuse of position. It found that Pachauri violated TERI's policy of sexual harassment. [TERI report finds RK Pachauri guilty of sexual harassment]

Ajay Mathur, the Director Genral, Bureau of energy efficiency has replaced Pachauri, as the new TERI chief.

Meanwhile, the 29-year-old complainant, the research analyst, whose identity has not been revealed yet told a news channel, "Pachauri's removal as TERI chief should have happened earlier."

"No one from TERI approached or consoled me. I am worried about my career. It wasn't a cake walk."

In May 2015, TERI committee recommended disciplinary action against Pachauri.

The internal probe committee had found that Pachauri's repeated attempts to build a personal relationship with the woman had amounted to 'sexual harassment.'

The report filed by the committee stated that Pachauri 'took away work from her after she resisted his advances.' [Will work to ensure sensitivity to gender: RK Pachauri]

Citing several SMS texts, e-mails and WhatsApp messages as evidence, the woman accused Pachauri of sexually harassing her for nearly two years, soon after she joined TERI in September 2013 and filed a complaint this February.

On February 13, an FIR was registered against Pachauri for the offence of sexual harassment under sections 354 A and 354 D and for criminal intimidation under section 506 IPC at Lodhi Colony Police Station. [Pachauri questioned in sexual harassment case]

Pachauri was granted anticipatory bail on Saturday, March 21, 2015, but was directed not to enter the TERI office till the investigation is complete and not to leave the country without the court's permission.

Pachauri was forced to step down as chairperson of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in February and proceeded on leave from TERI after the sexual harassment complaint.

74-year-old Pachauri had shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 with the former US Vice President Al Gore for work on climate issues.

OneIndia News