TCS Nashik case: Did accused Nida Khan teach victim to wear burqa, lure her with Malaysia job?

New details have emerged in the alleged sexual harassment and forced religious conversion case at a Nashik BPO unit linked to Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). Prosecutors have reportedly told a Nashik court that there is additional evidence against accused Nida Khan, who worked as a Process Associate at the IT firm.

The court will decide on Khan’s anticipatory bail application on May 2. Nine FIRs have been filed against senior staff members and an HR manager of TCS’ Nashik unit, while seven employees have been arrested.

Let’s take a closer look.

Allegations against Nida Khan

The court of Additional Sessions Judge KG Joshi on Monday (April 27) heard final arguments in the anticipatory bail application of TCS employee Nida Khan.

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The prosecution claimed that Khan was involved in the religious conversion of a victim by giving her a burqa, teaching her how to pray and providing religious books.

Special Public Prosecutor Ajay Mishra told the Nashik court that Khan allegedly made attempts to influence one of the complainants to adopt Islam by teaching her religious practices, reported India Today. 

The complainant was taken by Khan to her home, where she allegedly taught her how to wear a hijab and burqa.

The prosecutor claimed the female TCS employee was given a book and religious learning apps installed on her phone.

He claimed some books were recovered from the victim’s residence.

Sources told NDTV that Khan allegedly sent the complainant YouTube and Instagram links of religious content in an "attempt to influence her".

The prosecution also claimed links to Malegaon and Malaysia. The lawyer alleged that Khan tried to force the complainant to change her name to ‘Haniya’. For this, a Malegaon-based group was helping to facilitate the paperwork.

The prosecution claimed that the accused lured the victim with a job offer in Malaysia, where they planned to settle her. An investigation is underway to determine whether there was any financial support involved in the alleged conspiracy, as per India Today. 

Mishra told the court it was necessary to question Khan in custody, claiming that she is on the run. He said her mobile phone needs to be seized to find out whether more individuals were "targeted".

"Forensic investigation of Khan's mobile phone and diaries recovered from her are vital to uncovering the full extent of this operation," he told the court during an in-camera hearing, according to PTI.

The prosecutor claimed that granting her anticipatory bail could lead her to influence witnesses.

The court has not provided Khan any protection so far, and the police are likely to arrest her.

The defence had earlier sought anticipatory bail, citing Nida Khan's pregnancy. They also argued that allegations against her were limited to one case.

Khan’s lawyer, Rahul Kasliwal, has rebuffed charges against the TCS employee. He argued that there is currently no law against religious conversion in Maharashtra.

Kasliwal said that the charges invoked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) concern only hurting religious sentiments and no conversion happened.

He also questioned why nine FIRs were filed in the case, adding that there should be a single police complaint.

The court has fixed May 2 to give its verdict on Khan's anticipatory bail plea.

The TCS case had come to light in late March after the female employee lodged a complaint at the Deolali Camp Police Station in Nashik, alleging rape, hurting religious sentiments and sections of the Scheduled Caste/Schedule Tribes Act (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

What about Danish Sheikh?

TCS employee Danish Sheikh, who is under arrest, has been accused of taking away the female complainant’s educational and other important documents. These were allegedly given to a team in Malegaon as part of the plan, as per India Today. 

In the FIR filed by the first TCS employee, the woman has alleged that Sheikh was in a “relationship” with her by allegedly concealing his marital status from her. He has been booked on rape charges and hurting the religious sentiments of the female complainant by making offensive remarks regarding Hindu deities.

The first FIR filed by the female TCS employee on March 25 triggered an investigation and arrest of at least seven accused as more complaints surfaced.

The complaints filed by eight female and one male employee of the IT firm reveal accusations of molestation, stalking, attempts at religious conversion and more.

Meanwhile, TCS has said it has a zero-tolerance policy towards harassment and coercion of any form. The employees allegedly involved in sexual harassment at the Nashik office have also been suspended.

With inputs from agencies