File photo of Dr RK Pachauri.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, the woman who has accused world-known climate scientist RK Pachauri of sexual harassment says the 74-year-old must be removed from all posts with think-tank TERI. "The accused can exercise his clout and influence to sabotage other aspects of investigation," the 27-year-old researcher said in a four-page appeal sent to the PM over the weekend.
In February, the woman filed a sexual harassment case against Dr Pachauri, prompting him to quit as chief of the United Nations' top panel on climate change, a post he had held for 13 years. However, he did not quit his job as Director General of the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), opting for a leave of absence. Last month, a court allowed him to return to work at TERI, despite the Delhi Police arguing that he was trying to obstruct the investigation against him.
Dr Pachauri was replaced last month as the Director General of TERI by Dr Ajay Mathur. However, the complainant claims that her former boss still wields great power at the institute.
"There is fear and terror being created within the workplace and witnesses are being influence... from being up against one man, I am now up against an entire system," writes the researcher, who has not reported to work since May, when she says she was transferred to a department of TERI that is a poor fit with her qualifications. She alleges that those who have supported her version "live in fear of their jobs."
She also says that while announcing his removal as top man at TERI, the governing council of the non-profit praised Dr Pachauri in a press release and ignored what she describes as "the deprave misconducts of a man who is of my grandfather's age."
Following is the full text of the researcher's letter to PM Modi: