RK Pachauri Case: All you need to know

The RK Pachauri case has rocked headlines and put the spotlight on weak laws and biased systems at the workplace. Accused of sexually harassing colleagues at TERI, the investigations against him fell weak and he was reinstated with a promotion to the institution recently.

This has fired up social media and the complainants have written open letters criticising what's a 'bizarre' move. One of them said "Pachauri makes my skin crawl."

This SheThePeople video gives you the case in a crisp 80 seconds.

TIMELINE

• The Research Analyst had filed the case on 18 February last year at the Delhi High Court and it is still going on. While an internal committee was set up to investigate the case and it was disclosed that he was responsible for gross misconduct.

• Before the sexual harassment case happened, Pachauri was in the executive post at TERI for the past three and a half decade now he is the Vice Chairman, a post especially created for him.

• It has just been revealed that the Research Analyst was not the only one targeted sexually by Pachauri. Another woman has come to the front claiming that he had kissed her while she was in the job.

• The government is trying to cover all ties with Pachauri and TERI. It is saying that Teri is a private entity and that it cannot interfere with its decision of reappointing Pachauri.

• The female employee had said she had to go through mental trauma and was ostracised by TERI employees after she had filed the case. Following this she quit the job. Now she says she is left penniless and with a stained CV.

• TERI has done everything to get Pachauri back in the institution even after the sexual assault case involvement. It has an annual meeting of the board but it called two meetings in a month to address Pachauri’s insecurities. While no meeting was called on the victim’s request.

• Victim cites in an open letter that employees around her were constantly interrogated about the victim’s family background. Also, their computers were watched by the IT department at TERI for supporting the victim.

• Until the case had been filed, Pachauri was also the head of the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change. He was elected as its chairman in 2002. He was also appointed as the Member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India.