A Nashik court on Friday remanded Nida Khan, an accused in a case of sexual harassment and religious coercion at the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) unit here, in police custody till May 11.
The police described the matter as a serious crime, and informed the court that there were attempts at forced religious conversion through threats and fear.
The prosecution requested her detention to investigate the alleged plan to send the victim abroad and to investigate possible links to other transfer rackets.
Khan, also a TCS employee, was arrested on Thursday in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar after being on the run since the case came to light.
She was produced before Additional Sessions Judge KG Joshi on Friday, where the police sought her remand for seven days for a thorough investigation into the matter.
After accepting the police’s petition, the court decided to detain her until May 11.
The police, represented by Public Prosecutor A.S. Misar told the court that the victim, a colleague of Khan’s in the main IT unit here, was given a burqa and trained to perform prayers.
The investigation also revealed that Khan visited the victim’s house and participated in activities related to prayer and burqa, the prosecution said.
Misar stated that a detailed investigation is being conducted into the links from Instagram, YouTube, and reels that were repeatedly sent to the victim’s phone.
The prosecutor further stated that according to the investigation, the victim’s name was to be changed to Haniyeh, and she was to be sent to Malaysia.
Certain links with an alleged diversion racket in Malegaon have also emerged in the investigation, and other aspects like money trail and financing are being looked into, he said.
According to the prosecution, Khan lived in multiple places in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar while on the run, and the police have to investigate the people who gave her shelter.
On May 2, the court refused to grant Khan anticipatory bail, citing a “systematic plan” to brainwash the victim through “organized attempts.”
The court had noted at the time that “the scale of the crime is truly multi-dimensional and layered” and that custodial interrogation was required to get to the “root of the case”.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Nashik Police is investigating nine cases of molestation and harassment at the Nashik unit of the IT department.
It has arrested eight people, including an operations manager, by registering nine FIRs after allegations surfaced of exploitation, attempted forced conversion, hurting religious sentiments, sexual harassment and mental harassment of female employees in the TCS unit.
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.
