New Delhi: TERI's executive Vice Chairman R K Pachauri, facing sexual harassment charges by a former woman colleague, has "deliberately" violated travel conditions imposed on him by overstaying abroad, a Delhi court has said while forfeiting his surety bond.
The court ordered that the surety bond of Rs four lakh, furnished by Pachauri as a condition for being allowed to travel abroad be forfeited and the amount deposited by Monday. "In these circumstances, it is clear that accused has deliberately 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 court said Pachauri has failed to return to India as per schedule from Sharjah, where he had gone 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.
"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. "There is nothing on record to show that the scheduled award ceremony was indeed changed at the very last minute.
There is no document or other material on record to support this contention of the accused," the court said, taking a stern view. 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.
The court, while refusing to consider his submission, said Pachauri had not sought permission to extend the trip in view of an order of a sessions court binding him to seek nod of the court each time he went abroad. "It is hereby clarified that accused had not sought permission to extend the trip in view of the order dated March 21, 2015, passed by the Additional Sessions Judge," it said.
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