PACHAURI FORFEITS `4-LAKH SURETY AS COURT SAYS HE VIOLATED TRAVEL TERMS

A Delhi court on Saturday said Teri executive vice-chairman RK Pachauri has violated his travel conditions granted to him after he was accused of sexual harassment by a female colleague last year.

The court has forfeited the accused’s surety bond of ` 4 lakh that was furnished by Pachauri. The amount will have to be deposited by him by Monday.

The court said Pachauri failed to return to India as per schedule from Sharjah, where he went to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award on February 16, and there was nothing on record to show that the schedule of the event was changed at the last minute.

“In these circumstances, it is clear that accused has deliber- ately and unilaterally extended the liberty granted to him. Thus, it is a clear case of violation of terms and conditions, subject to which, the accused was permitted to travel abroad vide order dated February 15,” metropolitan magistrate Shivani Chauhan said.

“The accused failed to return back to India on scheduled date and time and thus violated the condition imposed upon him by the court,” it said.

The court had on February 15 granted permission to Pachauri to go to Sharjah from February 16 to 18 where he was to be conferred the award.

However, on February 18, Pachauri moved an application submitting that due to a change in the schedule of the award ceremony, he had to extend his trip by one day and would be arriving on February 19 instead.