Victim in Pachauri harassment case resigns

Says TERI treated her in 'worst possible manner'

A 29-year-old woman who alleged sexual harassment by former The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) chief R K Pachauri has resigned from the policy research organisation.

She claimed that TERI treated her in the ‘worst possible manner’ and harmed her ‘mentally, professionally and economically’.

The woman tendered her resignation on Monday after her profile was changed without her consent. Sources said it was accepted on Wednesday. In her resignation letter to TERI Human Resource Director Dinesh Verma, the woman stated that the organisation had failed to do the bare minimum to ensure that she does not face any consequences as a result of filing the complaint.

“Your organisation has treated me in the worst possible manner. TERI failed to uphold my interests as an employee, let alone protecting them. The organisation has instead protected R.K. Pachauri and provided him with full immunity, despite being held guilty of sexual harassment at the work place by your own inquiry committee,” she wrote, adding that the governing council too let her down in an unprecedented way.

TERI denied the charges as false and baseless, and said that they have been completely fair and totally neutral. “The organisation has till date accorded special privileges to the complainant and acceded to all her demands. We have not favoured anyone which is a fact apparent from documented records,” TERI said in a statement.

In the FIR registered with Lodhi Colony police station, the woman alleged that Pachauri had sexually harassed her for about two years since she had joined TERI in September 2013. The woman has also alleged that Pachauri had started “sexually laden conversations” with her over e mail and SMS. She had submitted her complaint to the Delhi Police on February 13.

Pachauri faces a case under sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354-A (sexual harassment) and 354-D (stalking) of the Indian Penal Code. It was registered on February 18. She had also given a written complaint to the institute's governing council alleging lack of action against Pachauri and expressing fear for her work and career.