Nida Khan, an absconding TCS employee accused in a case of alleged religious conversion and sexual harassment at the company`s Nashik unit in Maharashtra, was arrested in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, with police claiming that a local AIMIM corporator had provided her shelter, reported the PTI.
Following Nida Khan`s arrest, she was produced before the Nashik Road sessions court on Friday. She has been remanded in police custody till May 11 for further questioning.
Nida Khan had earlier filed for anticipatory bail
Nida was arrested after her name figured in a First Information Report (FIR) registered at Deolali Camp police station. Khan (27) had moved the sessions court last month seeking anticipatory bail, pleading innocence and citing her three-month pregnancy. Rejecting the plea on May 2, the court said that there seemed to be a “systematic plan” of brainwashing the victim.
Khan was produced before Additional Sessions Judge K G Joshi on Friday, with the police seeking her custody for seven days. District Government Prosecutor A. S. Misar said there was an attempt to convert one of the victims, who was given a burqa and given training for offering Namaz.
Khan had visited the victim`s house and engaged in “activities related to Namaz and burqa”, the prosecution claimed.
The government prosecutor further stated that a detailed probe was being conducted into Instagram, YouTube links and reels that were repeatedly sent to the victim, as per PTI.
The prosecution, while arguing in the court, said, `As per the probe, the victim`s name was to be changed to “Haniya”, and she was to be sent to Malaysia.` Links to an alleged conversion racket at Malegaon in Nashik district also surfaced during the investigation.”
Earlier, talking about Khan`s arrest, Nashik Police Commissioner Sandeep Karnik said that a crime branch team from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, led by the city`s police chief Pravin Pawar, had been tracking her movements for the past few days.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Nashik police is probing nine cases of alleged molestation and harassment at TCS`s local unit.
Eight accused have already been arrested
Earlier, the SIT had arrested eight persons, including a woman operations manager, by registering nine FIRs after allegations of exploitation, attempt of forceful conversion to Islam, hurting religious sentiments, molestation, and mental harassment of women employees surfaced.
As per PTI, the accused Nida Khan was accused of targeting employees in a WhatsApp group, pressuring them to pray and eat non-vegetarian food. She allegedly advised women employees to dress and behave in accordance with Islamic traditions.
Khan has also been booked under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, as the complainant in her case belongs to a Scheduled Caste.
AIMIM helped Nida during her hideout
According to police officials, local All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) corporator Matin Patel harboured Khan and her family in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar for the past few days.
After the police officials developed suspicion, questioning of AIMIM leader Patel led to Khan`s arrest. Furthermore, the AIMIM leader has also been named as an accused in the case for allegedly providing shelter to Khan.
The officials, while briefing about her arrest, said that along with Nida, her father Ejaj Bashir (52), mother Nilofar Ejaj (44), brother Mohammad Ejaj (20), and aunt Noorjehan Sheikh Ali (44) were also with her.
(With inputs from PTI)