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New-old allegations of RK Pachauri harassment surface ahead of Delhi HC hearing today

Advocate Vrinda Grover has released a statement yesterday on behalf of a second alleged target of sexual harassment by former Teri boss RK Pachauri, noting that at least two women other than the original complainant had come forward to make statements against Pachauri, reported a number of papers.

Grover told the Quint:

When the incident of sexual harassment at TERI became public, two more women came forward with their story. One Indian and one European national came forward to testify against Pachauri as the manner and nature of harassment was the same. I met the DCP South and the investigation team in February 2015 and told them that I had crucial material evidence against Pachauri. I had asked them to record statements of these two women and corroborate it with the version of the complainant as it would prove that Pachauri is a repeat offender. I never heard from them. I also wrote a letter to the Delhi Police Commissioner, BS Bassi in March 2015, there was no acknowledgement or reply to my repeated communications. Why has there been no charge sheet filed in over a year? This only goes to show that Delhi police’s investigation is lazy and partisan. Pachauri has not been held accountable and has repeatedly used his position and power.

Read the full letter here.

Pachauri’s advocate, Ashish Dixit, told Legally India that he did not believe a complaint was filed with the police, because under section 156(3) courts can give directions to police if a first information report (FIR) was not registered by the police.

“She is planted to prejudice and sensationalise HC proceedings [today],” Dixit said. “There is no complaint on record. To me police will not keep and compliant pending for one year in such sensitive matter.”

He added:

I have seen the purported statement by alleged new complainant, it’s an attempt to prejudice hearing in the [Delhi] high court [today]. Incidentally when court was hearing the matter for allowing my client to return to TERI one anonymous lady surfaced claiming to have been harassed. There was no word after that, now again hours before high court hearing tomorrow this anonymous lady has resurfaced which inspires no confidence in the statement.

Picture by Evstafiev

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