- KOHIMA — Nagaland
government has suspended IAS officer Reny Wilfred with immediate effect after
he was charged with alleged sexual harassment of female employees during his
tenure as Joint Secretary of the Investment and Development Authority of
Nagaland (IDAN).
- The suspension order, issued nearly two months after the
Nagaland Police registered an FIR against Wilfred, stated that the case is
currently under investigation.
- He has been charged under several sections of the Bharatiya
Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) — Section 74 (assault or criminal force to any woman),
Section 75(2) (penalty for sexual harassment), and Section 79 (offences related
to insulting the modesty of a woman).
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- Chief Secretary Dr. J Alam issued the suspension order on
May 21, stating that the disciplinary action was taken under sub-rule (3) of
Rule 3 of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969.
- The order (No. PAR-A/06/2021-AIS) is effective from the same
date.
- Wilfred, a 2015 batch IAS officer, was serving as Joint Secretary
in the Finance Department of Nagaland at the time of suspension.
- According to the order, his headquarters during the
suspension will be the P&AR Department, government of Nagaland, at the
Civil Secretariat in Kohima.
- He has been barred from leaving the station without prior
permission from the chief secretary.
- During the suspension, Wilfred will receive a subsistence
allowance equivalent to the leave salary he would be entitled to on half-pay,
along with any applicable dearness allowance, in accordance with Rule-4(1)(a)
of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969.
- The state government has also informed the Ministry of
Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions about the suspension.
- The FIR was registered following a formal complaint from the
chairperson of the Nagaland State Women Commission on March 17.
- However, charges were filed only on April 2, after a
preliminary inquiry by the Police Headquarters.
- A Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by a senior IPS
officer has since been constituted, and the investigation remains ongoing.
- This is not the first
time the officer has been charged with such a crime. During his tenure as the
first deputy commissioner of Noklak district in 2020–21, he was booked for
alleged sexual assault on two minor sisters, aged 14 and 17.
