Ex-TERI chief RK Pachauri to be charged in sexual assault case: court

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Friday ordered framing of sexual harassment charges against R K Pachauri, former chief of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), in a case filed by his ex-colleague.

Pachauri has been charged under sections 354 (outraging her modesty), 354 A (making physical contact, unwelcome and sexually coloured remark) and section 509 (teasing and using vulgar gesture and actions) of the Indian Penal Code.

The court, however, discharged him of certain other sections and said that it will formally frame the charges on October 20, news agency PTI reported.

The next hearing of the matter will be on October 20, the court said.

In 2015, an FIR was registered against Pachauri by a 29-year-old former research analyst of TERI. Later, more women raised allegations of molestation and sexual misconduct in the following months.

Following today's order, the victim, in a statement, said: “Chuffed to bits. This has not been easy. This is a big leap towards the truth. I am relieved and exhausted fighting R K Pachauri.”