The Nagaland Police Headquarters (PHQ) has formally registered a criminal case against Reny Wilfred, IAS, who was the joint secretary of Investment & Development Authority of Nagaland (IDAN), in connection with allegations of sexual and mental harassment of female staff members at the IDAN office in Kohima.
Accordingly, the PHQ has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by a senior IPS officer, to investigate the case. As per PHQ order no. PHQ/IGP/CID/182/2009-2025/200 dated April 5, 2025, four additional officers have been co-opted into the SIT to assist in the investigation.
According to an official press release issued by the PHQ, the action follows a written complaint submitted to the Director General of Police (DGP) by chairperson of the Nagaland State Commission for Women (NSCW) W. Nginyeih Konyak on March 17, 2025.
Police said that the complaint was based on verbal information earlier relayed to the NSCW by Abu Metha, chairman of IDAN, on February 27, 2025, regarding certain allegations of sexual and mental harassment towards some of the female employees of IDAN office by Reny Wilfred.
Upon receiving the information, PHQ said that the NSCW took cognizance under Sections 5 and 6 of the Nagaland Women Commission Act, 2006 and recorded the statements of the alleged victims on March 5, 2025.
Subsequently, a formal forwarding letter with an enclosed complaint of sexual harassment from the IDAN employees was submitted to NSCW by IDAN chairman Abu Metha on March 3, 2025.
These documents, including the victims’ statements, were forwarded to the Police Headquarters and, as per the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), the PHQ promptly instituted a Preliminary Enquiry (PE) on March 25, 2025. The enquiry was assigned to a female officer of the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police (Dy. SP).
The PE report was submitted on April 1, 2025, and revealed prima facie evidence of a cognizable offence under Sections 75 and 79 of the BNS, warranting a full criminal investigation. The report recommended further action to fully investigate the extent and veracity of the allegations.
Accordingly, an FIR was formally registered on April 2, 2025 under SCPS Case No. 01/2025 with charges under Sections 74, 75(2), and 79 of the BNS.
As required by law, PHQ said that a copy of the FIR was submitted to the Court, the chief secretary, and NSCW. PHQ said that the investigation is ongoing and all aspects of the case are being thoroughly examined.
Further, PHQ also provided an update on a previous case involving the same officer.
The police said that Reny Wilfred, while serving as Deputy Commissioner of Noklak, was charged under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in SCPS Case No. 04/2021 for alleged molestation of two underage girls, who were engaged as maid servants at his official residence while as DC.
PHQ said that after thorough and detail investigation, a charge sheet was filed on December 2, 2021, before the Special Court (POCSO), Tuensang, which has since taken cognizance and commenced the trial process. As per police records, the case remains under trial, with 34 out of 50 prosecution witnesses having already deposed before the court.