TCS Nashik Case: Court Denies Interim Protection To Accused Nida Khan, Bail Plea To Be Heard On April 27

The anticipatory bail application, filed on April 18 through Advocates Baba Sayyad and Rahul Kasliwal, also sought interim relief pending final adjudication.

However, District Judge KG Joshi at the Additional District Court, Nashik Road, declined to grant any such protection.

The court has now listed the matter for final hearing on April 27.

Khan, who was initially described as an HR head and later as a telecaller, is expected to file her anticipatory bail plea before a Nashik sessions court within the next few days. As per news reports, her plea is likely to cite her pregnancy and medical condition as key grounds for pre-arrest protection. Sources indicate that she is awaiting a certified copy of the First Information Report (FIR) before moving the court.

Meanwhile, a separate bail application filed by key accused Danish Shaikh is already pending before an additional district court in Nashik. The court has sought a response from the police, and the matter is scheduled to be heard on May 2.

The case stems from serious allegations that multiple accused individuals sexually harassed women employees at the TCS Nashik facility and attempted to coerce them into religious conversion over a period of nearly four years.

A total of eight accused; six men and two women, have been named in the case, including a Pune-based operations manager. Of these, seven individuals: Shafi Shaikh, Asif Ansari, Tausif Attar, Shahrukh Qureshi, Raza Memon, Danish Shaikh, and Ashwini Chainani, have been arrested. While Memon and Shafi Shaikh have been remanded to police custody until April 18, the remaining accused are currently in judicial custody and are in the process of filing bail pleas.

As per reports, the defence is expected to rely on several grounds, including delays in the registration of FIRs, the absence of allegations of forcible religious conversion in certain instances, and the fact that the offences invoked carry a maximum sentence of up to seven years. The accused have also described the case as “politically motivated.”

The allegations gained attention after a reported sting operation, in which police personnel allegedly posed as housekeeping staff to gather evidence. Subsequently, nine FIRs were registered, and the investigation is currently being conducted by a Special Investigation Team (SIT).

The charges invoked include Sections 69 (sexual intercourse obtained under false promise of marriage), 75 (sexual harassment), 299 (insulting religious beliefs), and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Complainants have alleged that they were subjected to inappropriate physical contact, sexually coloured remarks, and coercion, including threats of increased workload if they did not comply. Some victims have also alleged attempts to influence their religious beliefs, including claims that Islam was portrayed as superior to Hinduism and derogatory remarks were made about Hindu deities.

Taking cognisance of media reports, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has initiated a suo motu inquiry into the matter. The Commission has constituted a fact-finding committee comprising retired Bombay High Court judge Justice Sadhna Jadhav, former IPS officer BK Sinha, Advocate Monika Arora, and senior NCW coordinator Lilabati.

The committee has been tasked with conducting an on-ground inquiry at the TCS Nashik facility and any other relevant locations. It will examine the circumstances leading to the alleged incidents, assess the response of authorities, and recommend measures to prevent recurrence and strengthen workplace safety for women. The committee has been given the flexibility to determine its own procedure and schedule, but has been directed to submit its report within ten working days.

Interestingly, a plea has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking sweeping directions declaring what it terms “deceitful religious conversion” as a grave threat to constitutional values, and urging the State to treat it as organised crime, terrorism, and even “indirect waging war”. The plea has been filed in the suo motu case on religious conversions cites the "Organised Religious Conversion in Nasik" as having "shaken the conscience of citizens across the country."

At the outset, the plea makes a stark assertion on demographics, stating that “Demography is Destiny. And, presently around 1,000 Girls are trapped under the garb of Love and converted everyday into foreign religion. Similarly, around 1500 families (particularly EWS, BPL SC, ST, OBC) are deceitfully converted everyday into foreign religion.” It further claims that such practices amount to a structural threat to the nation’s constitutional fabric, arguing that “Organized Religious Conversion in Nasik has shaken the conscience of Citizens throughout the Country. Therefore, petitioner is filing this Application for Direction seeking certain directions and declarations to control Deceitful Religious Conversion, which is a serious threat to Sovereignty, Secularism, Democracy, Equality, Justice, Liberty, Fraternity, Unity and National integration.”

Bench: District Judge KG Joshi

Hearing Date: April 20, 2026