A court in Nashik on Monday granted bail to Nida Khan, one of the accused in a religious conversion and sexual harassment case linked to a Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)-associated BPO unit, nearly two months after her arrest.
Additional Sessions Judge K.G. Joshi of the Nashik Road Court also granted bail to co-accused Tausif Attar, while rejecting the bail application of another accused, Danish Shaikh.
In rejecting Shaikh’s plea, the court observed that the allegations against him appeared to be “grave in nature” and said the possibility of tampering with evidence, influencing witnesses, or fleeing justice could not be ruled out.
Nida Khan Arrested After ‘Weeks on the Run’
Nida Khan, who worked as a telecaller at a TCS-linked BPO unit in Nashik, was arrested in May after allegedly evading arrest for several weeks. She has remained in judicial custody since then.
Represented by advocate Rahul Kasliwal, Khan sought bail primarily on the ground that she is pregnant. She had earlier filed multiple bail applications, citing health concerns and difficulties faced in jail. The court had previously directed prison authorities to provide her with necessary medical care while in custody.
The detailed order explaining the reasons for granting her bail was not immediately available.
Case Emerged After Complaints by Women Employees
The case came to light earlier this year after several women employees at a TCS-associated BPO unit in Nashik accused colleagues and supervisors of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and attempts to coerce them into religious conversion.
Based on the complaints, Nashik Police registered multiple FIRs between March and April and constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the allegations.
According to investigators, Khan allegedly played a role in the religious conversion aspect of the case. Police claim that one complainant accused her of hurting her religious sentiments and attempting to influence her religious beliefs by sharing Islamic books and videos.
The SIT is also examining allegations that Khan offered to help the complainant secure employment in Malaysia.
Prosecution Opposed Bail
The prosecution opposed the bail applications of Khan and Shaikh, arguing that the investigation had uncovered evidence of sexual exploitation and attempts at religious coercion.
According to prosecutors, Shaikh allegedly gained the complainant’s trust by promising marriage before establishing a sexual relationship with her. They further alleged that he gave the complainant an Islamic religious book and a burqa in an attempt to influence her religious beliefs.
The prosecution also claimed the accused were aware that the complainant belonged to a Scheduled Caste community and that they allegedly attempted to persuade her to convert her religion.
The FIR also alleges that the accused made offensive remarks about Hindu deities, used caste-based insults, and conspired to change the complainant’s name by taking her personal documents. The investigation is also examining allegations that plans were made to send the complainant to a person identified as Imran in Malaysia.
SIT Continues Investigation
The Special Investigation Team is probing a total of nine cases linked to allegations of sexual exploitation, attempted religious conversion, molestation, hurting religious sentiments, and workplace harassment involving employees at the TCS-linked BPO unit.
TCS had earlier suspended the employees named in the case and launched an internal inquiry, stating that the company follows a zero-tolerance policy towards harassment and is fully cooperating with law enforcement agencies.
