Teri finally sacks R K Pachauri, ends all association: Report

The governing council decided to sever the organisation's association with Pachauri despite the fact that his employment contract expires in 2017

R K Pachauri, disgraced former director general of The Energy and Resources Institute (Teri), was sacked by the governing council of the research institute in a meeting earlier this week, the Hindu reported on Wednesday. 

The governing council, according to the report, decided to sever the organisation's association with Pachauri despite the fact that his employment contract expires in 2017. The report adds that it was decided to "pay all the dues for the remainder of the tenure and bring an immediate end to it (contract)".

Additionally, according to the report, it was decided that his term on the council, which ended on March 31, would not be renewed. As a result, Pachauri will no longer be the executive vice-chairman — a post created for him specifically.  

 

The decision was made despite an earlier claim by Ajay Mathur, the director-general of Teri, that Pachauri's contract had no early-exit clause.

Speaking to Business Standard in February this year, Mathur said: "Dr Pachauri’s contract like that of all of us are time-bound contracts so his contract is for a five year period that ends of July 2017 if I am not wrong. I think it is correct that this contract did not have a early exit-clause. So yes the short point is these are the realities within which the governing council, Dr Pachauri and Teri had to operate."

Speaking to the Hindu, Teri's spokesperson said, “...Dr. Pachauri’s term as a Member of the Governing Council of Teri ended on March 31, 2016. As the post of executive vice-chairman is co-terminus with this membership, his role as executive vice-chairman also ended along with his membership of the Council.”

The decision comes even as, earlier this month, a third woman came alleging that she had been sexually harassed by Pachauri.

Speaking to a television channel, the woman said she had worked under Pachauri for four months in 2008 at Teri, which was headed by him then. She alleged that during this time, Pachauri repeatedly behaved inappropriately with her.

While the identity of the woman was withheld, it was said she is a foreign national and currently lives in Europe.

In July, 2015, Pachauri, who headed Teri for 35 years, was removed from the post of director general by the council four months after an FIR was filed against him alleging sexual harassment and criminal intimidation. 

Last year in February, a 26-year-old researcher at Teri had taken Pachauri to court saying that soon after she joined in September 2013, he began harassing her via email, WhatsApp and text messaging, and persisted despite her requests that he stop. 

Pachauri denied all charges. 

In February, this year, another former Teri employee alleged sexual harassment by Pachauri between 2003 and 2004.

Even as the fresh allegations emerged, on February 12, Pachauri proceeded on leave from his recently gained position of executive vice-chairman of Teri and former Competition Commission of India chief Ashok Chawla was appointed the chairman by the governing council.

In March this year, the Delhi Police chargesheeted Pachauri on charges of sexually harassing and outraging the modesty of a former colleague.

Pachauri was also accused of stalking and criminally intimidating the victim, with gesture or act intended to insult her modesty, according to the 1,400-page chargesheet.

Metropolitan Magistrate Shivani Chauhan had fixed the document for consideration on April 23, 2016.