The chargesheet filed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) Nashik sexual harassment and religious coercion case has revealed disturbing details about the alleged methods used by the accused to influence a young Hindu woman and draw her towards Islam, as reported in OpIndia.
The chargesheet, submitted before the court last week, pertains to a case registered at the Deolali Camp Police Station against Danish Shaikh, Tausif Attar and Nida Khan. According to the victim’s statement recorded by investigators and included in the chargesheet, the accused allegedly executed a sustained campaign of psychological manipulation aimed at distancing her from her Hindu faith and persuading her to embrace Islam.
The 23-year-old victim told investigators that Danish Shaikh, a married man, sexually exploited her after promising to marry her. During the course of their relationship, he allegedly discouraged her from visiting temples and listening to Hindu devotional songs.
According to the chargesheet, whenever she expressed anxiety over whether Shaikh’s family would accept her, he allegedly advised her to recite Tasbeeh and perform Islamic prayers. He reportedly told her that taking Allah’s name would reduce her stress, increase her good deeds and secure forgiveness for her sins.
The victim stated that Shaikh repeatedly urged her to stop visiting temples and listening to bhajans. She alleged that he told her that praying according to Islamic practices would ease her mental distress and bring her closer to Allah.
The chargesheet further states that Shaikh directed co-accused Tausif Attar and Nida Khan to educate her about Islam. As part of this effort, Attar allegedly asked her to watch videos of fugitive controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik and Pakistani Islamic scholar Dr Israr Ahmed on YouTube.
Investigators have recorded that the victim was introduced to various Islamic concepts including Jannah (heaven), Jahannum (hell), Qurbani (sacrifice), Bakri Eid and Zamzam water. According to her statement, these discussions and teachings were repeatedly presented to her over an extended period.
The victim told investigators that the constant exposure to Islamic teachings and religious persuasion gradually affected her thinking.
“I was convinced that if I accepted the Islamic religion, my mental stress would decrease. I slowly started believing in those things,” the victim stated before investigators, according to the chargesheet.
The SIT has also alleged that Danish Shaikh had access to sensitive financial information belonging to the victim, including details of her bank accounts and her UPI PIN.
The first chargesheet filed by the SIT in May 2026 includes statements from 106 witnesses. These witnesses include the complainant, her mother, employees and management personnel of TCS, members of the company’s Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) Committee and investigating officers associated with the case.
As the investigation expanded, the SIT subsequently filed a second set of chargesheets connected to eight separate FIRs registered at Mumbai Naka Police Station.
The accused named across the nine cases include Danish Shaikh, Tausif Attar, Nida Khan, Raza Memon, Shahrukh Qureshi, Shafi Sheikh, Asif Aftab Ansari and Ashwini Ashok Chainani. All of the accused are presently in judicial custody.
The investigation has also drawn in a political figure. According to the chargesheet, the name of AIMIM corporator Mateen Patel from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar has been included in connection with allegations that he provided shelter to accused Nida Khan while she was absconding. Investigators allege that Patel extended assistance despite being aware that Khan’s anticipatory bail application had already been rejected by the court.
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