Nashik TCS row: Accused Nida Khan held in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar; investigation deepens

Nida Khan has been taken into custody by police in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in connection with the Nashik Tata Consultancy Services case, which involves allegations of sexual harassment, religion-based intimidation, and mental abuse of a woman employee.

Confirming the development on Thursday, May 7, Nashik Police said, “One of the accused in the Nashik TCS case, Nida Khan, has been arrested from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The investigation is ongoing and further legal steps are being taken.”

Khan has been named in the case along with Danish Shaikh and Tausif. The Deolali police have registered offences against them under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including charges of sexual exploitation on the false assurance of marriage, sexual harassment, and actions intended to offend religious beliefs. Provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act have also been invoked.

As per the FIR, Danish Shaikh is accused of sexually assaulting the complainant under the promise of marriage, while Tausif allegedly molested her on multiple occasions and threatened to reveal her purported relationship with Shaikh to her family.

Investigators have further alleged that Khan, along with the other accused, attempted to intimidate the woman into converting her religion by instilling fear and repeatedly targeting her religious sentiments.

District Government Prosecutor A S Misar informed the court that the complainant was allegedly compelled to adopt the religious practices and daily lifestyle followed by the accused. The prosecution claimed that Khan provided her with a burqa, gave her literature on the life of Prophet Mohammad, and installed Islamic teaching-related mobile applications on her phone.

It was also alleged that there were plans to rename the woman as “Haniya” and send her to Malaysia. The prosecution argued that custodial interrogation was essential to probe potential links to any international network.

On May 2, the court denied Khan’s anticipatory bail, noting that the accusations indicated an organised and systematic pattern, and emphasised the need for custodial questioning.

A Special Investigation Team is examining nine similar cases involving alleged exploitation, harassment, and attempted forced religious conversion of women employees at the Nashik unit. So far, eight individuals have been arrested in connection with these cases.

Tata Consultancy Services has stated that it follows a strict zero-tolerance approach towards harassment and coercion, adding that the employees named in the case have been suspended.

(Edited by : Prashant)