Mumbai, 20 April. The court has rejected the application to grant interim protection till April 27 to Nida Khan, an important accused in the serious sexual harassment cases related to the Nashik BPO unit of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), the country’s largest information technology company.
According to the information received, the legal team of Nida Khan, who is absconding till now, had requested the court to grant her temporary relief till the time her anticipatory bail plea is pending, but the court decided not to issue any interim order at this stage.
Time for the accused to file reply till 27th April
During the hearing, the complainant’s lawyer Baba Sayyad moved an application seeking additional time to file a written reply. This request was accepted and the court gave time till April 27 to file the reply.
During the arguments on the anticipatory bail plea, Khan’s lawyer cited medical grounds and said that she was two months pregnant. The prosecution opposed the bail application and also presented before the court some photographs of a BPO picnic and trip.
Nida Khan HR Was not a part of, but was a process associate
Nida Khan’s lawyer also raised questions as to why his client is being called a ‘mastermind’ when his name is only in an FIR and he had no leadership role in the company. She was a process associate, not part of HR. These words have no importance in the court.
TCS explanation of : Nida ever HR did not hold the position of manager
Earlier reports had claimed that Nida Khan was handling the HR job at the Nashik BPO unit and had failed to act on the complaints of women employees. Investigators have also alleged that he promoted religious conversion. However, TCS clarified that she was not an HR manager and had never held any such position.
Imposition of SC-ST Act a main issue of debate
One of the main issues of debate during the hearing was the imposition of SC-ST Act. According to Khan’s lawyer, the prosecution could not present any concrete evidence to prove the allegations true. Advocate Rahul Kasliwal, appearing for Khan, said that there was a debate on interim relief and the issue of pregnancy was also placed before the court. He further said that anticipatory bail hearing takes time, so he first sought interim protection.
Police claim – Nida Khan played an important role
A senior Nashik Police officer had earlier said that considering the seriousness of the charges leveled, especially under the SC-ST Act, if the court strictly applies the section imposed, Nida Khan may not get anticipatory bail. Police officials expressed confidence in their investigation and claimed that Khan had played a key role in the alleged conversion activities. He also said that although there are other victims linked to this case, many have not come forward due to fear and social pressure.
Police continues massive search operation to catch Nida Khan
Meanwhile, the police have launched a search operation to trace Nida Khan, who is absconding since the case came to light. While the National Commission for Women has sent a team to Nashik to take stock of workplace safety, the National Human Rights Commission has issued a notice to Maharashtra Police and TCS and sought a detailed report.
Investigators say digital evidence is playing an important role. There are allegations that the victims were stalked and harassed through social media. According to reports, at least nine FIRs have been registered between March 26 and April 3 based on complaints by women employees of the Nashik branch.
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