After evading the authorities for nearly 25 days, Nida Khan, a key accused in the sexual harassment and alleged religious conversion case at a TCS-linked BPO unit in Nashik, has been arrested. She was taken into custody on Thursday night in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
Some staff members linked to the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)'s BPO unit in Nashik had raised allegations of sexual harassment, mental abuse and attempts of religious conversion. Khan was at the centre of these allegations. Police formed multiple teams and launched a statewide search to trace her.
Khan was accused of hurting religious sentiments and also allegedly helping those accused of rape and sexual exploitation cases.
She had moved to the Nashik court seeking anticipatory bail, citing she was eight weeks pregnant, but her plea was rejected earlier this month.
A special investigation team of the Nashik police is probing nine cases of molestation and harassment relating to the company.
The police had arrested eight persons, including a female operations manager, by registering nine FIRs after allegations of exploitation, attempt of forceful conversion, hurting religious sentiments, molestation, and mental harassment of female employees surfaced.
The search for Khan was launched in different parts of Maharashtra. After the bail was rejected, the police intensified their search, monitoring mobile phone locations and potential hideouts. She was eventually tracked to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The operation was a coordinated effort between the Nashik Special Investigation Team (SIT), the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Crime Branch, and the local police.
She is accused of targeting employees in a WhatsApp group, pressuring them to pray and eat non-vegetarian food. Women employees alleged that they were forced to dress and behave in accordance with Islamic traditions.
Meanwhile, TCS has clarified that it has adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards harassment and coercion of any form for a long time, and the employees allegedly involved in sexual harassment at the Nashik office have been suspended.