Relief for Pachauri, No arrest but court sets conditions
TERI Director-General R K Pachauri, who is facing sexual harassment allegations from a woman employee, was on Saturday granted anticipatory bail by a Delhi court which rejected the request of police for his custody.
In a relief to Teri director-general RK Pachauri, accused of sexually harassing a female colleague, a Delhi court on Saturday stayed the possibility of his arrest by granting him anticipatory bail in the case. The court also dismissed police’s request for his custodial interrogation and an early hearing.
The court added that in the event of arrest, Pachauri would be admitted bail on furnishing a personal bond of R50,000 plus one surety of like amount.
Granting the 74-year-old protection from arrest, additional sessions judge Raj Kumar Tripathi said that no “custodial interrogation was required” as “the evidence in the matter was documentary and electronic in nature.”
During the hearing, public prosecutor Zafar Khan — who was arguing in favour of Delhi Police’s application — told court that the Teri director had been interfering with the investigation.
He added that Teri officials weren’t cooperating with IT experts. The court also heard Pachauri’s plea that he had been trying to join the probe but was ignored by the investigating agency. His lawyer, senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, said his client had written to the cops on March 6 as soon as he was discharged from the hospital. Cops admitted they had not yet served a notice upon Pachauri to join the probe.
“The investigating agency is trying to play with the personal livery of the accused,” said the judge, and dismissed Delhi Police’s application.
The complainant’s lawyer, Prashant Mendiratta, said other women had also complained against Pachauri, and were now being intimidated and questioned at his behest.
“What will happen to these women when he comes back to Teri after his present leave period is over?” said Mendiratta
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