IAS officer in Nagaland suspended as probe into sexual harassment against him initiated

Kohima: The Nagaland government has placed IAS officer Reny Wilfred under suspension as a criminal investigation into several allegations of sexual and mental harassment by women employees has been initiated against him, an official said on Thursday.

The suspension order was issued by Chief Secretary Dr J. Alam, invoking provisions of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969 on Wednesday, he said.

Wilfred, a 2015-batch officer of the Nagaland cadre, has been serving as the joint secretary at the Investment and Development Authority of Nagaland (IDAN) and the Finance Department.

"The suspension follows a formal complaint filed by the Nagaland State Commission for Women (NSCW) on March 17, 2025, after receiving accounts from several women employees who accused Wilfred of demanding sexual favours in exchange for salary hikes and employment opportunities," the official said.

In response to the suspension, the bureaucrat has denied all the allegations.

The Naga Students' Federation (NSF) has also demanded Wilfred's suspension, amid the serious allegations.

The federation emphasised that retaining him in office "undermines public trust and sends a dangerous message that institutional protection takes precedence over accountability".

The Nagaland Police had on April 12 said that an FIR had been registered against Wilfred and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted to probe the matter.

The order issued on Wednesday stated that Wilfred's headquarters during the suspension period will be the Personnel and Administrative Reforms (P&AR) Department at the Nagaland Civil Secretariat, Kohima.

He has been prohibited from leaving headquarters without prior permission from the competent authority.

Wilfred was facing trial in another case related to the alleged molestation of two domestic workers at his official residence, the official claimed.

The officer was booked in connection with the case in 2021 when he was serving as the deputy commissioner of Noklak district, he added.