A court in Maharashtra’s Nashik district on Monday set May 2 to deliver its ruling on the anticipatory bail application filed by TCS employee Nida Khan, an accused in a case related to alleged sexual harassment and forced religious conversion in the IT firm’s local unit.
Additional Sessions Court Judge KG Joshi reserved his ruling after hearing the arguments of the prosecution and defense counsel.
The police, represented by Special Public Prosecutor Ajay Misar, opposed Khan’s bail before his arrest, citing the need to question her while in custody to find out possible financial ties and outside sources of funding.
Misar also pointed out that the accused may be linked to teams in Malegaon in Nashik district dedicated to religious conversion.
The prosecution alleged that Nida was aware of the fact that the complainant in the case belonged to the Scheduled Tribe (ST) community.
Prosecutors said the victim was forced to wear a burqa and hijab, recite the “Kalima” (an Islamic expression of faith), and adopt the name “Hania.”
She said that Khan was aware of the relationship of the main accused Danish Sheikh with the complainant and they were planning to settle the victim in Malaysia.
“A forensic investigation into Khan’s mobile phone and the notes recovered from it is vital to uncover the full scope of this operation,” Misar told the court during a closed hearing.
Defense lawyer Rahul Kasliwal asserted that although several Indian states have enacted anti-conversion laws, Maharashtra currently has no such specific legislation.
It may be noted that last month, the Maharashtra Legislative Council passed the Freedom of Religion Bill, 2026, which penalizes illegal conversions through force, fraud or marriage. Under the draft law, those involved in illegal conversions under the pretext of marriage will be punished with seven years in prison and also punished with a fine of $1 lakh.
Nashik police formed three teams to track down Khan, who is accused of targeting employees of a WhatsApp group and pressuring them to pray and eat non-vegetarian food.
According to one FIR, Khan allegedly advised female employees to dress and behave according to Islamic traditions. Some victims alleged that they were coerced or pressured to adopt religious practices, including prayer, changing dietary habits, and adopting religious symbols.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Nashik Police is investigating a total of nine cases registered in connection with alleged exploitation, attempted forced conversion, hurting religious sentiments, sexual harassment and mental harassment of female employees in the TCS unit in the city.
TCS has clarified that it has adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards harassment and coercion in any form for a long time, and employees allegedly involved in sexual harassment at the Nashik office have been suspended.
Khan on April 18 applied to a Nashik court seeking anticipatory bail and interim protection from arrest pending hearing, citing her two-month pregnancy.
During the hearing on April 20, her lawyer Kasliwal pressed for interim relief, which would have protected her from arrest until the court decided her main application.
However, Justice Joshi did not pass any order on interim prayer and directed the police and the complainant to file their response to Khan’s petition, while publishing the order on April 27.
Besides the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) provisions relating to sexual harassment and defamation, Khan was also booked under relevant sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The SIT has so far arrested eight people, including an operations manager, in connection with the nine FIRs.
