A fresh development has emerged in the high-profile Nashik religious conversion and rape case linked to the Tata Consultancy Services office, with investigators claiming to have recovered chats referring to the name “Hania” during the ongoing probe, as reported in News18.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating the case has alleged that the chats are connected to the complainant’s alleged religious conversion and the reported change of her name. The Nashik Road court is scheduled to hear the bail plea of accused Nida Ijaz Khan on Saturday.
According to investigators, the SIT recovered conversations allegedly linked to the victim’s conversion. Police claimed that one of the chats showed Nida Khan telling a relative, “I am going out with Hania today…”
When the relative allegedly asked, “Who is Hania?”, Nida Khan reportedly replied, “The one who converted…”
Investigators believe the messages support key aspects of the prosecution’s case. According to the SIT, the complainant’s name was allegedly changed to “Hania” as part of a larger conspiracy to alter her religious identity.
The case concerns an unmarried woman employed at a multinational company who accused the accused persons of rape and attempts to forcibly convert her religion.
An FIR in the matter was registered at the Deolali Camp Police Station on March 26, 2026. The accused were booked under charges including rape, attempt to forcibly convert the victim’s religion, and hurting religious sentiments.
Police also invoked multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to sexual assault, criminal conspiracy, cheating, and outraging religious sentiments. Provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act were additionally applied in the case.
The SIT has since filed a chargesheet running to nearly 1,500 pages before the court.
The chargesheet names four accused — Danish Ejaz Sheikh, Tausif Bilal Attar, Nida Ijaz Khan, and Matin Majid Patel.
Police said Danish Sheikh and Tausif Attar had already been arrested earlier during the investigation.
Nida Khan, who had allegedly been absconding, was detained from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on May 7.
Matin Patel, an All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen corporator from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, has also been named as a co-accused in the case.
According to police, Patel allegedly provided shelter to the absconding accused. Nashik Police have issued him a notice directing him to appear for questioning.
Investigators stated that Nida Khan was arrested from Patel’s residence earlier this month.
Given the seriousness of the allegations, Sandeep Karnik had constituted a Special Investigation Team to probe the case. The SIT is headed by Assistant Commissioner of Police Sandeep Mitke.
Officials said the investigation remains ongoing and that further legal proceedings would depend on the outcome of the pending court hearings, including the bail application filed by Nida Khan.
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