Nashik: Nida Khan, an employee of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in Nashik who is accused in the alleged sexual harassment and forcible religious conversion case, has approached a court seeking anticipatory bail, claiming that she is pregnant. Khan, who has been described by investigators as absconding, moved the court for protection from arrest.
According to the plea, Khan told the court she is expecting and sought relief on medical and humanitarian grounds. The court is expected to hear her anticipatory bail application soon.
The Nashik TCS case has triggered major controversy after multiple women employees alleged sexual exploitation, workplace harassment and pressure linked to religious conversion at the company’s BPO unit. Police have already arrested several employees in connection with the probe, while Khan remains one of the key accused being sought by investigators.
Investigators are examining multiple complaints linked to the case and have widened the probe to gather digital and documentary evidence. Authorities have indicated that more complainants may come forward as the investigation progresses.
Meanwhile, the HR head of the Nashik branch of the IT giant Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) had allegedly discouraged a woman employee from submitting a sexual harassment complaint, the police have said, according to a PTI report.
Ashwini Chainani, the HR head and operations manager of the company, allegedly told the employee that “these things happen” and sided with the accused, Nashik Police Commissioner Sandeep Karnik said, as reported by PTI.
On Thursday, a plea was filed in the Supreme Court, seeking directions to the Centre and the State governments to take stringent steps to control religious conversion.
The petition filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, according to the Hindu, contended that deceitful religious conversion is not only a serious threat to sovereignty, secularism, democracy and liberty but also a menace to fraternity, dignity, unity and national integration.
