TERI founder RK Pachauri has been accused of sexual harassment by second woman
At a time climate scientist RK Pachauri faces a legal challenge to his bail in a sexual harassment case, a second woman has surfaced with similar allegations. Dr Pachauri, 75, is a serial offender, the woman has told NDTV.
Here are 10 developments in the story:
"There has been a pattern to his sexual harassment. Not just me but a lot of female colleagues. His harassment was a topic of corridor gossip," said the woman, who worked in Dr Pachauri's non-profit think tank TERI or The Energy Research Institute between 2003 and 2004.
The woman alleges that Dr Pachauri would call her to his room on the pretext of work and make sexual advances. "He would stand very close, try to kiss or hold me, call me on weekends," she said. Soon after she joined the organization, she says, Dr Pachauri gave her a sexually suggestive nickname.
"On one occasion, when he had called me to his sixth floor office room to discuss work, he told me that he could lift hefty and heavy women, and so lifting me would not be a problem for him...Once when I said I had migraine, he said he could give good head massages..." the woman has said in a statement.
She said she decided to come out in support of the woman who filed a police complaint against Dr Pachauri last year. "When I complained to TERI, I was laughed at," she says.
The 29-year-old complainant has challenged Dr Pachauri's bail in the High Court. She has also alleged that male employees of TERI pressured her to settle out of court.
Dr Pachauri has filed his reply in court denying the allegations and accused the complainant of trying to sensationalise the case.
After the sexual harassment charge, the world famous scientist went on leave from TERI and also stepped down as the chief of the UN's top body on climate change, the IPCC, and the Prime Minister's advisory body on climate change.
An internal inquiry committee of TERI found Dr Pachauri guilty of misconduct and he was removed as chief. In July, a court allowed him to visit all but the Delhi and Gurgaon offices of the organization.
Recently, TERI appointed a new chief but created a new post for Dr Pachauri - Executive Vice-Chairman. The complainant said: "The news of promotion of a man who stands booked on charges of sexual harassment at workplace...makes my flesh crawl."
Students graduating from TERI University on March 7 have refused to accept their degrees from Dr Pachauri, who is the chancellor.
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