Nashik

A senior police official on Tuesday said that the alleged role of accused Nida Khan in the ongoing case at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) relates to accusations of forcible religious conversion, and efforts are underway to locate her after she failed to secure interim protection from arrest.

Khan is among five people named in one of the nine FIRs registered in connection with allegations of sexual harassment, coercion and religious intimidation at the company’s Nashik unit.

According to the police official, no court order granting interim relief was passed on Monday, following which teams were actively searching for her. Her anticipatory bail plea has been scheduled for hearing on April 27.

TCS has identified Khan as an associate employed at the Nashik office. She had sought immediate protection from arrest citing a two-month pregnancy.

Police said three separate teams have been formed to trace her and have been sent to multiple locations.

Speaking about the broader investigation, the official said many of the complainants are women aged between 21 and 30 years from middle-class families, employed in associate-level roles with monthly salaries of around Rs 20,000.

When asked whether complaints had earlier reached the workplace POSH committee under the Prevention of Sexual Harassment Committee framework, the official said there were “technical issues” and noted that most committee members were not based locally.

He suggested that such committees should include local members and hold regular in-person meetings every few weeks instead of relying mainly on video conferences.

Police said no additional complainant has come forward so far, but further action would be taken if more complaints are received.

According to one FIR, the prime accused Danish Shaikh allegedly introduced a complainant to associates including Tausif and Nida Khan. The complaint alleges that derogatory remarks were made about Hindu rituals and deities in an attempt to provoke the victim.

A Special Investigation Team of the Nashik Police is investigating nine separate cases involving allegations such as exploitation, attempted forced conversion, hurting religious sentiments, molestation and mental harassment of women employees.

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Tata Consultancy Services has said it follows a zero-tolerance policy toward harassment and coercion, and that employees named in the case have been suspended. The company also stated that it had not received prior complaints through its internal channels.