IAS officer held in Jharkhand for sexually harassing IIT student: Police

Khunti: An IAS officer was detained in Jharkhand's Khunti district for allegedly sexually harassing a trainee IIT student, police said on Tuesday.

The officer, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Khunti Syed Riaz Ahmed, was taken into custody on Monday night after a case was lodged at the women's police station, Superintendent of Police Aman Kumar told PTI.

A case has been filed under IPC sections 354A (sexual harassment) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), he said.

Eight engineering students of an IIT, including the victim, came to Khunti from outside the state for training, Kumar said.

They attended a dinner hosted at the Deputy Development Commissioner's residence on Saturday, he said.

At the party, liquor was served to the guests, including the students, he said.

The 2019-batch IAS officer found the female student alone, and allegedly sexually harassed her there, she told police in a statement.

Prima facie, the allegation was found to be true after Ahmed and some guests who attended the party were questioned, the SP said.

The student was sent for a medical check-up, he said, adding that an investigation was underway.