Nagaland government has suspended IAS officer Reny Wilfred over a criminal investigation initiated against him relating to sexual harassment.

In an order, Chief Secretary Dr. J Alam stated that Wilfred, who is presently serving as the joint secretary in Finance department has been placed under suspension with effect from May 21 pending a criminal investigation against him under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Section 74/75(2)/79. It was ordered that during the period of suspension, the IAS officer will be headquartered at the Personnel and Administrative Reforms department in Kohima and that he shall not leave the headquarters without the Chief Secretary’s permission. The order also stated that during this period, he would be entitled to a subsistence allowance at an amount equal to leave pay he would have drawn if he had been on leave on half-average pay or half pay.

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In April, the Nagaland State Commission for Women (NSCW) lodged a sexual harassment complaint against Wilfred at the Nagaland Police Headquarters (PHQ) and a First Information Report (FIR) was registered against him. The sexual harassment allegations were reportedly made to the NSCW by several victims who were employed in the Investment and Development Authority of Nagaland (IDAN) where Wilfred was serving as joint secretary. The state government had then relieved him of the additional charge. The police set up a special investigation team (SIT) to further investigate into the allegations in the same month.

Mention may be made here that the IAS officer is already under trial in a sexual abuse case against him on two minor girls during his tenure as deputy commissioner in Noklak district in 2021.