A court in Nashik has rejected the anticipatory bail plea of Nida Khan, an accused in a case involving allegations of sexual harassment and forcible religious conversion at the Nashik unit of Tata Consultancy Services, after the prosecution argued that her custodial interrogation was necessary.
Court Rejects Pre Arrest Bail Plea
The Public Prosecutor Ajay Misar said the court viewed the offence as serious and considered Khan one of the prime accused in the case. He said the prosecution stressed the need for her custodial interrogation and that the court consequently rejected her bail application.
Nida Khan had sought pre arrest bail citing her pregnancy. Police had earlier said that a search for her was underway in different parts of Maharashtra.
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SIT Investigating Nine Cases at Nashik Unit
The Special Investigation Team of Nashik Police is probing nine cases of sexual harassment involving some female employees at the company’s Nashik unit by their male colleagues. The SIT has so far arrested eight persons, including a female operations manager, by registering nine FIRs.
The FIR alleges that Khan advised women employees to dress and behave in accordance with Islamic traditions. There are currently no further details on the broader allegations beyond the references to sexual harassment and forcible religious conversion.
Police Custody of Other Accused Extended
The police custody of four other accused in the case, Raza Rafiq Memon, Tausif Bilal Attar, Danish Ejaz Sheikh and Shahrukh Husain Shaukat Qureshi, was extended till May 5 on Saturday. They had been taken into custody by the SIT on April 23 and were first remanded to police custody till April 29, before being produced again and remanded till May 2.
The prosecution told the court that further custody was required because additional investigation remained to be carried out. Separately, Tata Consultancy Services said last month that the company has long followed a zero tolerance policy towards harassment and coercion of any form.
About the author – Rehan Khan is a law student and legal journalist with a keen interest in cybercrime, digital fraud, and emerging technology laws. He writes on the intersection of law, cybersecurity, and online safety, focusing on developments that impact individuals and institutions in India.
