TCS Nashik employee arrested in alleged religious conversion, harassment case

A female employee of Tata Consultancy Services’ Nashik unit, accused in a case involving alleged religious coercion and sexual harassment of colleagues, has been arrested after remaining untraceable for several weeks, police said on Friday.

Nida Khan was detained in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on Thursday by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the Nashik police, Police Commissioner Sandeep Karnik confirmed.

Khan is among the accused named in a case registered at Deolali Camp police station and is being investigated as part of a wider probe into multiple allegations involving employees at the IT company’s Nashik office.

The SIT is currently examining nine separate complaints related to alleged molestation, workplace harassment and attempts to pressure women employees into religious conversion.

So far, eight people — including a female operations manager — have been arrested in connection with the investigation.

According to police, Khan had allegedly been absconding while investigators searched several locations across Maharashtra. She is accused of targeting colleagues through a WhatsApp group, where employees were allegedly pressured to offer prayers and consume non-vegetarian food.

The FIR also alleges that Khan encouraged women employees to dress and behave according to Islamic customs. Some complainants claimed they were subjected to sustained pressure to adopt certain religious practices, including changes in diet and the use of religious symbols.

In addition to charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to sexual harassment and defamation, Khan has also been booked under provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, as one of the complainants belongs to a Scheduled Caste community.

Last month, Khan approached a Nashik court seeking anticipatory bail and interim protection from arrest, citing her pregnancy. However, her plea was rejected on 2 May.

TCS has stated that it maintains a long-standing zero-tolerance policy towards harassment and coercion in the workplace. The company also confirmed that employees accused in the case have been suspended pending the outcome of the investigation.

With PTI inputs