Police file statements of 13 women employees of TERI

The Investigating Officer in the sexual harassment case involving former TERI Director-General R.K. Pachauri has filed in a court here the statements of 13 women employees of the research body in connection with the case.

The officer filed these statements on Monday on a direction by another court. The copies were earlier supplied to Dr. Pachauri’s counsel Ashish Dixit as well.

‘Concealed from court’

His counsel had sought these statements when he found that neither were these women employees cited as witnesses nor were their statements annexed with the charge sheet when the Delhi Police chargesheeted Dr. Pachauri.

Earlier, the police had submitted before the court that they had recorded their statements.

Dr. Pachauri’s counsel said these statements were earlier concealed from the court as they were supposed to be favourable to his client.

The police had chargesheeted Dr. Pachauri in March 2016 under Sections 354 (molestation), 354A (physical contact and advances involving unwelcome and explicit sexual overtures) and 354D (any man who follows a woman and contacts, or attempts to contact such woman to foster personal interaction repeatedly despite a clear indication of disinterest by such woman).

The trial in the case is yet to start. It will now come up for arguments on charge on July 19.

On Monday, the victim had assured the court that she would not talk to the media till arguments on charge framing are over.

Gag order

The victim’s assurance came on an application by Dr. Pachauri urging the court to restrain the complainant from speaking to the media regarding the case.

However, the court had in February refused to pass a gag order against the media.

Disposing an interim application in a pending suit filed by Dr. Pachauri against certain media houses seeking injunction against the media from reporting other than court proceedings of the case, the court had passed certain directions.

“Since the matter is still pending in the court — the rights of the parties have still not been decided — the following line should be added to denote the said fact ‘that the matter is still sub judice or the matter is still pending in the court or final decision in the case is still awaited’. Such a direction is only in reference to the fact that the litigation is pending,” the court had said.

Dr. Pachauri had filed the suit following telecast of a news report by a private channel where a woman and a lawyer had made certain comments about him. Trial of the suit is on.