The Kohima Bench of the Gauhati High Court reserved judgment in the Reny Wilfred case after concluding arguments on the petition to quash the FIR.
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DIMAPUR — The Kohima Bench of the Gauhati High Court on Tuesday reserved its judgment in IAS officer Reny Wilfred’s petition seeking to quash the FIR and complaint filed by the Nagaland State Commission for Women (NSCW) alleging sexual harassment.
The single-judge Bench of Justice Mitali Thakuria reserved the matter after hearing counsels for the petitioner, the state government, and the NSCW.
The hearing follows the previous sitting on November 24 when the court noted that the pleadings were “almost complete” and directed the petitioner’s side to ensure the presence of an arguing counsel on the next date—leading to today’s hearing.
Speaking to reporters after the November hearing, NSCW counsel Vrinda Grover raised concerns over repeated adjournments sought by Wilfred’s counsel, stating that the delays were slowing the progress of the case. She said that despite the commission being prepared to argue on each listed date, Wilfred’s counsel continued to seek adjournments, and said that neither she nor the commission would “tire out” or step back from the proceedings.
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She had also described the impleadment of the commission and its three members as “unusual” and an “attempt to intimidate” the women who had spoken up.
With no stay on the trial, the trial court was expected hear the case on November 26 and proceed with steps leading to framing of charges. The chargesheet filed in June contains statements from around ten women and invokes Sections 74, 75 and 79 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and Section 3(1) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
Wilfred, a 2015-batch IAS officer and former Joint Secretary of the Investment and Development Authority of Nagaland (IDAN), is currently under suspension. He has also filed a separate petition seeking to quash the chargesheet.