NEW DELHI: The Governing Council (GC) of TERI on Thursday sacked RK Pachauri, accused of sexual harassment by a woman employee, as Director General (DG) of the institution and appointed Ajay Mathur, currently Director General of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), as the new chief.
The GC met in Bangalore and decided to remove Pachauri, a day after he joined back office following permission from the court. Pachauri in February this year had stepped down as the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) chief. Teri staff was unhappy and had protested over him joining back.
A researcher at Delhi-based think tank TERI had claimed the scientist began harassing her soon after she joined it in September 2013. A second victim came forward laying similar allegations against him. She provided SMS texts, e-mails and WhatsApp messages as evidence to the police.
The GC also considered the question of any action that could be taken on the report of the Internal Complaints Committee at TERI on the issue of alleged sexual harassment.
“Action on this report has been stayed by the Court, which ruled the operation of the report of the Internal Complaints Committee shall remain stayed. This judgment of May 29, 2015 also stated the principles of natural justice have not been followed at all by the said Committee, contrary to Rules. The GC of TERI respects all court proceedings and abides by its direction,” said the statement.
The GC includes 10 members, including Pachauri. HDFC chairman Deepak Parekh, Biocon chairperson Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, HSBC India country head Naina Lal Kidwai and Ministry of Earth Sciences secretary Shailesh Nayak are other members.
The court had on March 21 granted Pachauri anticipatory bail while imposing the conditions that he will join the probe as and when called and not enter the TERI office premises. The Delhi police had sought cancellation of the anticipatory bail to Pachauri, saying he was influencing witnesses and misusing the liberty of bail, a charge denied him. The court last week granted him permission to enter his office premises except the head office here and a branch in Gurgaon.