The Nagaland government on Wednesday suspended IAS officer Reny Wilfred following the initiation of a criminal investigation into allegations of sexual harassment. Wilfred, a 2015-batch officer of the Nagaland cadre, was serving as Joint Secretary in the state’s Finance Department at the time of the suspension. The suspension order was issued by Chief Secretary J Alam.
It was stated that a case had been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for “sexual harassment and outraging the modesty of women.” “Therefore, the government of Nagaland has placed Reny Wilfred, IAS under suspension w.e.f. 21.05.2025,” the order read.
The officer has previously denied the charges, alleging the complaint was biased and orchestrated. He claims to have evidence that complainants were coerced into filing the allegations and has stated his intention to submit the material to the court.
The complaint was initially lodged by the Nagaland State Commission for Women (NSCW) at the state police headquarters in April this year. It led to the registration of an FIR and the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) by the police. NSCW officials reportedly met several alleged victims who had worked under Wilfred during his tenure at the Investment and Development Authority of Nagaland (IDAN), where he held additional charge until April 4, when the state government relieved him of the post.
Wilfred is also facing a separate criminal trial dating back to his tenure as Deputy Commissioner of Noklak district from 2020 to 2021. That case involves allegations of sexual abuse of two minor girls and is currently being heard in Tuensang district court.
Wednesday’s suspension order specifies that Wilfred is to be stationed at the Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department in Kohima and may not leave the headquarters without prior approval from the Chief Secretary.
He will receive a subsistence allowance equivalent to half-pay leave benefits, in line with provisions of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969.
In his defense, Wilfred had earlier told reporters that he has been the target of an orchestrated campaign since 2016, when he allegedly refused to support efforts to topple the state government. He also claimed retribution for his actions against child trafficking during his time in Noklak.
The case has drawn sharp reactions from civil society. Groups such as the Naga Mothers’ Association (NMA), Angami Women Organisation (AWO), Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), and Dimapur Naga Students’ Union (DNSU) have issued public statements calling for justice.
The Rising People’s Party (RPP) criticized the PDA government’s silence, alleging a systemic cover-up and calling the case a scandal that exposed the “moral bankruptcy of a bureaucrat and a rotten nexus shielding him.”
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