R K Pachauri Facing Allegation of Sexual Harassment

Verdict :

Possible time of origin : February 19, 2015

Circulation platforms : Web

Circulation geography : Global

Original Message Version Under Analysis:

Delhi Police may soon call R K Pachauri, Director General (DG) of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), following registration of a case of molestation and sexual harassment against him on a complaint from a research associate working in his office. The case was registered the case on Wednesday night after the woman had submitted a 33-page complaint at the Lodhi Road Police Station on February 13. Pachauri (75) has been provided interim protection from arrest till February 23 by the Delhi High Court which allowed him to approach a lower court to seek anticipatory bail while asking him to join police investigation as and when required. Sources said he may be asked to join the investigation in the case which also includes charges of stalking and criminal intimidation. Investigators will also send his mobile and laptop, which was submitted to police by him yesterday morning, for forensic analysis as he has claimed that he was victim of hacking and his computer resources were misused and filed a police complaint in this regard as well, the sources said. The victim has also been served a notice to deposit her phone and laptop which contain the alleged messages and email which Pachauri had sent to her. Police sources said the victim and her counsel have insisted that the gadgets and their contents should be video graphed before they are submitted to the police to prevent any tampering with proof.

 Analysis by Merofact Awareness Team: 

The shocking news of a complaint lodged with Delhi Police, India for sexual harassment charge against Rajendra Kumar Pachauri (born on 20 August 1940) was first surfaced on 19th February 2015. He was the last chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). He held the post from 2002 until his recent resignation on 24th February 2015.  During his tenure as chairman, in 2007 the organisation was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. He also served as a Director General of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), New Delhi, India. 

A 29 year old female researcher at TERI claims that the Dr. Pachauri started  harassing her soon after she joined TERI in September 2013. According to various news reports the woman victim has submitted hundreds of emails, texts and WhatsApp messages sent by Dr. Pachauri to proper authority implicating she was sexually harassed. Dr. Pachauri's lawyers have so far alleged that his computer and phone were hacked, this is an attempt to malign his public image.