Guwahati, Dec. 24: The Assam education department has written to education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma seeking his permission to initiate departmental proceedings against a senior official of secondary education charged with sexually harassing a woman.

N.M. Hussain, commissioner and secretary of secondary education, today told The Telegraph that he had written to the minister to start departmental proceedings against deputy director Haren Hazarika.

He said proceedings were necessitated following a complaint lodged by a girl with police against Hazarika.

Sources in Dispur police station here said they registered a case against Hazarika after the woman, 25, lodged an FIR on December 16 alleging that the former had been sexually harassing her since 2007.

“The FIR said the woman worked under Hazarika as a casual worker in 2007 but later she was asked to leave. The woman also alleged that Hazarika had taken Rs 6 lakh from her with the promise of giving her a government job. She said Hazarika had sexually harassed her with the same promise,” the police officer said.

The police registered a case against Hazarika under Section 354 (criminal force to a woman with an intent to outrage her modesty) and 406 (criminal breach of trust) IPC.

The police said preliminary investigation revealed some evidence against Hazarika but he was absconding.

“We had gone to his house and even sent him a notice to come to the police station. But he is absconding,' the police said.

Police sources said Hazarika, too, lodged an FIR against the woman the day after her formal complaint at Dispur police station. “Hazarika complained that the woman created nuisance in his office and insulted him in front of others. We are looking into Hazarika’s complaint too. But the woman’s allegations are more serious,” the police official said.