RK Pachauri has denied allegations against him.
Highlights
- Days after his promotion, Dr RK Pachauri sent on indefinite leave by TERI
- TERI had created a new post for him after he stepped down as chief
- Pachauri is accused of sexually harassing a colleague at TERI
Days after promoting him, the TERI governing board today asked climate scientist RK Pachauri to go on an indefinite leave pending the ongoing sexual harassment case against him in court.
The TERI governing board which has come under intense scrutiny and criticism for not protecting the rights of the woman who had made allegations against Dr Pachauri, today issued a statement after an emergency meeting.
"Dr RK Pachauri, who had been at the Head of the Institute since 1982 will be on leave from TERI, TERI Governing Council, and TERI University till this is reviewed by the Governing Council given the subjudice nature of the matter," the statement said.
The council also appointed former Competition Commission chief Ashok Chawla as the new chairman.
In February last year, a 29-year-old research assistant working at TERI had accused Dr Pachauri of sexual harassment. Subsequently the TERI Board had announced that Dr Ajay Mathur would be the new Director General replacing Dr Pachauri.
Dr Pachauri has denied the charges but this week
a second woman made similar allegations.
While Dr Mathur took over this week, in a surprise announcement, the TERI board also
appointed Dr Pachauri as Executive Vice Chairman leading to protests from women's rights groups and TERI university students.
Today a group of 25 women from the All India Democratic Women's Association
protested outside the TERI headquarters at the India Habitat Centre in the capital.
Several students of TERI University had already said that they would not accept their degrees from Dr Pachauri at the conviction slated for the March 7.
The Delhi Police has completed its investigations and will file a chargesheet against the former TERI boss within a week.