Sexual harassment row: Complainant submits notes allegedly written by Rajendra Pachauri

NEW DELHI: The complainant in the sexual harassment case against Rajendra Pachauri has submitted two handwritten notes allegedly written by the 74 year old scientist to the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) of The Energy and Resources Institute ( TERI), a Delhibased think tank.

The alleged victim, a research analyst in Pachauri’s office, was testifying before the ICC which is inquiring into allegations of sexual harassment against Pachauri, who has taken leave from his position as Director General of TERI after the scandal surfaced last month.

In a related development, the victim has decided to file an appeal in the Delh High Court against an order by a lower court staying Pachauri’s arrest. The appeal will demand Pachauri's custodial interrogation in the case. On Monday, the notes, including one on a piece of tissue paper, were produced by the 29 year old complainant in the course of proceedings before the ICC.

The ICC meeting lasted over two and a half hours as per sources familiar with the issue. The notes from Pachauri allegedly contain objectionable and lewd remarks. One of the notes, according to the woman’s complaint, was handed over to her by Pachauri during a flight on June 12, 2014.

As per available information, the complainant deposed on the lines of the complaint submitted to the Delhi Police on February 13. Her complaint was converted into an FIR on February 18, the day Economic Times first reported about the complaint. The woman informed the Committee in detail about the stress and tension allegedly caused to her on account of Pachauri’s actions. The complainant has also asked the committee to record statements of other women working at TERI.

In the next hearing the complainant will submit SMSes, Whatsapp messages and lewd e-mails allegedly sent by Pachauri to her to the committee. There are over 6,000 such messages in victim’s possession.

The woman had first approached the committee on February 9 demanding action against Pachauri. However, owing to alleged inaction by the committee, the victim approached the Delhi Police four days later. Pachauri stands booked on charges of sexual harassment, stalking and criminal intimidation.

A Delhi Court has protected him from arrest till March 27 while restraining him from entering TERI, contacting the complainant or witnesses in the case or leaving the country without prior permission of the Court. The renowned scientist is in a private hospital undergoing treatment for a heart ailment and herniated discs. Pachauri, who got the Nobel peace prize in 2007 on behalf of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has stepped down from that body.

Last week, he resigned from the Prime Minister’s Council on Climate Change. Though he has proceeded on leave from TERI, he has not stepped down from the post of Director.