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Complainant in sexual harassment case against Pachauri resigns from TERI #Vaw

SHUBHOMOY SIKDAR

The complainant had registered a complaint against R.K. Pachauri for sexual harassment at the workplace and lodged an FIR with Delhi Police in February 2015. Photo: Prashant Nakwe
The Hindu

The complainant had registered a complaint against R.K. Pachauri for sexual harassment at the workplace and lodged an FIR with Delhi Police in February 2015. Photo: Prashant Nakwe

The complainant in the sexual harassment case against climate scientist R.K. Pachauri has resigned from The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), alleging that the organisation treated her in the “worst possible manner” and harmed her “mentally, professionally and economically”.

Talking to The Hindu, her lawyer Prashant Mendiratta confirmed that she had tendered her resignation two days back and that it has been accepted. He also added that TERI by way of suspending the accused could have done much more but chose to target his client instead.

“It was as if she was being punished for being molested. She was disappointed with the way TERI handled the case. They changed her profile without her consent and she sent her resignation a few days back. It was finally conveyed to her on Wednesday that it has been accepted.”

The chargesheet has not been filed and the victim’s application requesting cancellation of anticipatory bail is still pending.

“My client will take all criminal and civil proceedings initiated against Mr. Pachauri to its logical end and will also claim damages for the mental trauma the sexual harassment and then the deliberate targeting caused to her,” said Mr. Mendiratta.

‘Played deaf to my requests’

In her resignation letter to TERI Human Resource director Dinesh Verma, the complainant, has said that despite the enquiry committee finding Mr. Pachauri guilty of misconduct, the organisation has “failed” to do the “bare minimum” to ensure that she does not face any consequences as a result of filing the complaint.

“Your organisation has treated me in the worst possible manner. TERI failed to uphold my interests as an employee, let alone protecting them. The organisation has instead protected R.K. Pachauri and provided him with full immunity, despite being held guilty of sexual harassment at the work place by your own inquiry committee. The Governing Council too let me down in an unprecedented way,” she said.

The complainant had registered a complaint against Mr. Pachauri for sexual harassment at workplace and lodged an FIR with Delhi Police in February 2015.

“The Council could not even suspend a man pending inquiry and took no action despite the indictment. You also created a hostile environment for me which has only escalated and showed no signs of subsiding whatsoever. It is becoming clear that the Governing Council works for the DG and under his instructions. There has been no changeover in the DG as well as stated on 23 July, 2015.I am tendering my resignation from TERI with immediate effect,” the complainant wrote in the letter.

The complainant also alleged that the organisation had changed her work profile and played “deaf” to all her request for not doing so.

“You changed my work profile and played deaf to my requests for not doing so. I was given zero explanation of taking such an action and none of my emails/requests were heeded to. I only got vague responses.”

On February 13, an FIR was registered against Mr. Pachauri on charges of sexual harassment under the IPC Sections, including 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354 (d)(molestation) and 506 (criminal intimidation).

The TERI governing council had, on July 23, appointed Ajay Mathur as its director general.

(With inputs from PTI)

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  1. 80% in India are BC/SC/ST/MC; But 80% of Supreme Court Judges in India are NOT from BC/SC/ST/MC communities;
    If I were Ambedkar, I’d have given GUNS to BC/SC/ST communities through Indian Constitution for their self-defense/resist oppression;

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