A Nashik court on Monday, 6 July 2026, granted bail to Nida Khan, one of the accused in the alleged religious conversion and sexual harassment case linked to a Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)-associated Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) unit in Nashik. The court also granted bail to co-accused Tausif Attar, while rejecting the bail application filed by another accused, Danish Shaikh, as reported in LiveLaw.
Additional Sessions Judge KG Joshi pronounced the order after having reserved it on 20 June 2026 following arguments from both the prosecution and the defence.
Nida Khan was arrested on 7 May 2026 from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar after allegedly evading arrest for 42 days. She was produced before the court on 11 May 2026 after the expiry of her police custody. Since the police did not seek further custodial interrogation, she was remanded to judicial custody until 24 May 2026 and lodged in Nashik Road Central Jail. About a week after her arrest, Khan moved the sessions court seeking regular bail.
The case arises from a complaint lodged by a woman employee of the TCS-associated BPO unit, who alleged that Nida Khan had hurt her religious sentiments, attempted to influence her to embrace another religion, and sexually harassed her. According to the prosecution, Khan played a key role in the alleged attempts to influence the complainant’s religious beliefs.
The broader case stems from an FIR registered at Deolali Camp Police Station on 26 March 2026 under Sections 69 (sexual intercourse by employing deceitful means), 65 (sexual harassment), and 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
According to the prosecution, the principal accused allegedly concealed his marital status and sexually exploited the complainant, who belongs to a Scheduled Caste community and worked with him, by falsely promising to marry her. Another co-accused has been accused of sexually harassing the complainant in the office lobby and at other locations. Nida Khan has been accused of making remarks allegedly intended to outrage the complainant’s religious sentiments.
The prosecution has further alleged religious coercion during the course of the exploitation. It submitted before the court that Danish Shaikh had allegedly given the complainant a religious book and a burqa as part of what it described as a conscious attempt to influence and convert her religious beliefs.
Opposing the bail applications, Public Prosecutor Vijay Gaikwad, assisted by the complainant’s counsel Milind Kurkute and Nitin Pandit, argued that the allegations were grave and that the investigation had uncovered material pointing to sexual exploitation and religious coercion. The prosecution submitted that the accused had acted in concert and contended that their release on bail could lead to tampering with evidence, influencing witnesses, and posing a threat to the complainant’s safety.
The prosecution particularly opposed bail for Nida Khan, pointing out that she had allegedly remained absconding for 42 days before being arrested. It argued that her conduct demonstrated a likelihood of absconding again and that she could assist the other accused in evading the legal process if released. The prosecution also informed the court that the accused allegedly enjoyed the support of a political party.
Seeking bail for Nida Khan, Advocate Rahul Kasliwal primarily relied on the ground that she is pregnant. Counsel appearing for Danish Shaikh, Advocate Umesh Walzade, argued that the investigation had been completed and the chargesheet had already been filed, making further custodial detention unnecessary.
While granting bail to Nida Khan and Tausif Attar, the court did not comment on the merits of the allegations, which continue to remain under investigation.
The case forms part of a wider Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into nine separate cases arising from allegations of sexual exploitation, attempted forced religious conversion, hurting religious sentiments, molestation, and mental harassment of employees at the TCS-associated BPO unit in Nashik.
TCS has stated that it follows a zero-tolerance policy towards harassment and coercion in any form and has suspended the employees allegedly involved in the incidents under investigation.
The latest order comes against the backdrop of several earlier judicial proceedings in the matter. On 2 May 2026, while rejecting Nida Khan’s anticipatory bail application, the sessions court made strong observations on the allegations, stating that there appeared to be a “systematic plan” to brainwash the complainant through “organized attempts.” The court had further observed that the allegations disclosed a “multi-dimensional and multi-layered” offence requiring detailed investigation.
Earlier, on 20 April 2026, the court had refused to grant Khan interim protection from arrest. On 20 April 2026, it denied anticipatory bail to Danish Shaikh, observing that the allegations were serious, affected social harmony, and that the SIT investigation was still at a nascent stage. On 27 April 2026, the court reserved its order on Khan’s anticipatory bail application before ultimately rejecting it.
Last month, a Nashik court also rejected the bail application of Ashwini Chainani, a senior TCS official arrested in a separate sexual harassment case registered at Mumbai Naka Police Station under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita.
Separately, a fact-finding committee constituted by the National Commission for Women (NCW) recently flagged what it described as a “deeply disturbing and toxic workplace environment” at the TCS Nashik office. The committee cited allegations of sexual harassment, systemic bullying, religious denigration, and abuse of authority against women employees.
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