Jharkhand: IAS officer Sayyed Riyaz Ahmed suspended over sexual harassment of IIT student

RANCHI:  IAS officer Sayyed Riyaz Ahmed, who was posted as sub-divisional magistrate in Khunti and arrested earlier this week for allegedly sexually harassing an IIT student, has been suspended.

As per the FIR lodged by the victim at Mahila Police Station in Khunti on July 4, the bureaucrat harassed her sexually after making her drunk early in the morning on July 2.

A statement from the chief minister’s office said, “Chief Minister Hemant Soren has directed to suspend Syed Riyaz Ahmed, working as SDM in Khunti. The SDM was accused of sexual harassment.” 

Ahmed is facing charges under IPC sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), police said.

A court on July 5 remanded the officer to judicial custody for 14 days.

According to the police, the alleged incident happened during a party on Friday night, which continued till early morning on Saturday, and when very few people were left at the venue in the wee hours.

The complainant is said to be a student who had come to Khunti for a month to pursue her internship.

When the SDM found her alone at the party, he allegedly sexually harassed her there, the victim told the police in a statement.

The police, prima facie, found the allegation to be true after Ahmed and some guests who attended the party were questioned.

(With PTI Inputs)