Bhubaneswar, Oct. 10: A senior Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) officer has been booked on charges of sexual harassment, police said today.

Premananda Khuntia, 53, who serves as project director of Rashtriya Madhyamik Siksha Abhijan in the state, allegedly sent obscene videos to a female OAS officer, who is junior to him.

The police said the 45-year-old victim was now posted in the state women and child development department. She lodged a complaint with the police alleging that Khuntia had sent her obscene videos through his mobile phone.

"A case under section 354 of India Penal Code and under sections of the IT Act has been registered. We have started investigation," said deputy commissioner of police Satyabrata Bhoi.

The police said that they would serve a notice to the senior OAS officer.

Sources said the victim had been receiving such videos from the senior OAS officer for a while now. She had even informed the higher officials in the mass education department, where Khuntia now works, about this.

Following the complaint, the mass education department conducted an inquiry and handed the matter over to the police.

Khuntia could not be reached despite efforts to reach him on his mobile phone.

The incident has sent shock waves among bureaucrats who demanded a thorough probe into the incident.

"This is a serious issue. Senior officials must respect their subordinates. Such behaviour is not acceptable. The police should conduct a fair probe and initiate action if anyone is found guilty," said a bureaucrat, requesting anonymity.

In July this year, the wife of a senior IAS official Taradatt had brought allegations of "moral turpitude" against him.

His estranged wife Indulata Das had alleged that her husband was having an extramarital affair with a bureaucrat based in Delhi.

However, Taradatt had denied the allegation.

In February last year, Ravenshaw University had removed its dean of student welfare Partha Sarathi Mishra after a postgraduate student brought charges of sexual harassment against him.

Mishra, also an OAS officer, was on deputation to the university when the incident took place.