RK Pachauri moves court, seeks permission to travel abroad

NEW DELHI: Former UN climate panel chief Rajendra Pachauri, who is facing charges of sexual harassment, has moved a Delhi court seeking permission to visit Athens to address the Global Water Summit 2015 to be held during April 27-28. The lawyer representing the complainant in the case, a research analyst who used to work under Pachauri in The Energy and Resources Institute ( Teri), has said he plans to oppose the application.

Not allowing him to attend the Summit will “seriously hamper” his “goodwill” and would also have a“negative impact on India’s reputation and commitment to issues relating to environment and climate change”, the 74 year old scientist has said. The Teri director also argued that “it would cause undue hardship to the organisers” if he, who is the keynote speaker for the opening plenary session, withdraws from the event.

Advocate Prashant Mendiratta, the complainant’s lawyer, said Pachauri had avoided participating in the investigation on the ground that he was not well. “How come he is hale and hearty to visit abroad to attend events and falls ill when it comes to joining the police probe?” The lawyer added: “He (Pachauri) has not been invited in individual capacity but in the capacity of Director, Teri from which he is currently on leave. In these circumstances, Teri should have informed the organisation that Pachauri is on leave and should have designated someone else”.