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NASHIK: Former Lok Sabha MP and AIMIM Maharashtra unit president Imtiyaz Jaleel has been named as an accused in a supplementary chargesheet filed by the Nashik Police Special Investigation Team in connection with alleged workplace harassment and attempted religious conversion at Tata Consultancy Services’ Nashik unit. The supplementary chargesheet was submitted before the Additional Sessions Court in Nashik on Friday. Investigators have accused Jaleel of assisting key accused and former TCS employee Nida Khan while she was evading arrest. The inclusion of Jaleel expands the scope of the investigation, which has already implicated nearly a dozen individuals across earlier chargesheets.
SIT Alleges Assistance to Key Accused During Period of Evasion
Investigators looking into the movements of Nida Khan reported that she had taken shelter in the Naregaon area of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar while police were searching for her. According to the Special Investigation Team, local AIMIM corporator Mateen Patel provided shelter to Khan during this timeframe. Patel was subsequently questioned and taken into custody on August 8, while Hanif Khan, the owner of the residential flat where she allegedly stayed, was named as a co-accused.
In the course of examining Patel’s activities, investigators found links connecting him to Jaleel. The SIT subsequently served Jaleel a formal notice under Section 35(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, directing him to appear for questioning. Jaleel presented himself before investigators approximately a month ago, where he was questioned regarding his alleged communication with Patel and any purported assistance extended to Khan. The probe team subsequently formalised these findings by adding Jaleel to the supplementary chargesheet linked to the primary case registered at Deolali Camp police station. He was not present in the courtroom during Friday’s filing and will face further process once judicial summons are issued.
Probe Spans Nine Registered Cases Involving Worksite Exploitation
The broader investigation encompasses nine separate complaints filed by female employees detailing incidents that allegedly began in July 2022. Eight of the cases were registered at Mumbai Naka police station, while one was lodged at Deolali Camp police station. The complaints cite multiple allegations, including molestation, deliberate acts to hurt religious sentiments, persistent mental harassment, and attempts at forced religious conversion within the corporate workplace.
The initial first information report was lodged at Deolali Camp police station on March 26. Following the rejection of her bail application by a local court on May 2, Nida Khan was arrested from Naregaon on May 7. She remained in custody until July 6, when bail was granted. Case records indicate that Khan is accused of exerting pressure on a female colleague, including supplying a burqa and specific religious literature, prompting the police team to trace the network of individuals who supported her both within the facility and during her period as an absconder.
Corporate Statement Follows Submission of Multiple Chargesheets
The SIT had previously submitted two chargesheets naming eleven individuals prior to the filing of Friday’s supplementary document. Legal counsel representing one of the complainants confirmed the addition of Jaleel to the court records, noting that the charges will be tested in accordance with standard criminal procedure during the upcoming trial.
Following the emergence of the complaints, Tata Consultancy Services stated that the organisation adheres to a strict zero-tolerance policy against any form of workplace harassment, coercion, or discrimination. The company affirmed that safeguarding the professional dignity and personal security of all personnel remains a paramount operating priority. The Special Investigation Team is continuing with procedural inquiries into the remaining complaints to determine whether additional parties aided the accused.
