Take nod from trial court for foreign travel, RK Pachauri told by Delhi court

NEW DELHI: RK Pachauri, facing accusations of sexual harassment, will have to seek permission to attend the Global Water Summit in Greece from the concerned metropolitan magistrate, ruled a Delhi court, declining to hear his plea to be allowed to travel to Athens for the April 27-28 event.

Not being able to attend the summit would hurt his “goodwill”, Pachauri’s lawyer had argued. The lawyer of the complainant, Prashant Mendiratta, said, however, that the invitation had been extended when Pachauri headed the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Following the harassment allegations becoming public, Pachauri had resigned as IPCC chief and is currently on leave from his post as director general of TERI.

TERI should therefore send someone else on behalf of the organisation since Pachauri had not been invited in his personal capacity.

Mendiratta said the sessions court did not have jurisdiction over Pachauri’s application.