A court in Nashik has refused to grant interim protection from arrest to a software professional employed with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in connection with a case involving allegations of sexual harassment and forced religious conversion. The accused, Danish Shaikh, is already in judicial custody in a related matter and had approached the court seeking temporary relief in another case registered against him, reported PTI.
Court Rejects Interim Protection Plea
The 31-year-old tech professional had filed a plea requesting interim protection from arrest until his main bail application could be heard. The case in question has been registered at the Mumbai Naka police station in Nashik. During the hearing, the defence argued that interim relief was necessary to safeguard the accused until the court took up the primary bail plea, reported PTI.
However, the prosecution opposed the request, stating that it required additional time to file a detailed response. After considering arguments from both sides, the court declined to grant interim relief on Tuesday. It has directed the prosecution to submit its response by April 27, after which further proceedings will take place.
Multiple FIRs Intensify Legal Trouble
The case against Shaikh is part of a broader investigation involving multiple complaints. Authorities have registered a total of nine First Information Reports (FIRs) linked to allegations of misconduct at the Nashik unit of TCS. These cases include serious charges such as sexual harassment, coercion related to religious practices, and mental harassment of female employees, reported PTI.
Shaikh has already been arrested in one of these FIRs and remains in judicial custody. His legal team is now pursuing bail in other related cases, including the one currently under consideration by the court, reported PTI.
Charges Filed Under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita
In the specific case for which interim relief was denied, Shaikh has been booked under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. These include Section 75, which pertains to sexual harassment, and Section 299, which deals with deliberate acts intended to outrage religious sentiments. Additional charges have also been invoked as part of the investigation, reported PTI.
Legal experts note that the inclusion of multiple sections reflects the seriousness of the allegations and may impact the court’s consideration of bail applications.
SIT Probing Allegations at TCS Unit
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to handle the case, given the scale and sensitivity of the allegations. The SIT is currently examining all nine FIRs to establish the sequence of events and identify the role of each accused individual, reported PTI.
So far, eight employees have been arrested in connection with the case, including a woman serving as a human resources manager at the Nashik office. Authorities are continuing their probe and have not ruled out further arrests if new evidence emerges, reported PTI.
Company Maintains Zero-Tolerance Policy
In response to the controversy, TCS has reiterated its longstanding policy of zero tolerance towards any form of harassment or coercion in the workplace. The company confirmed that employees allegedly involved in the incidents at its Nashik office have been suspended pending investigation.
(With inputs from PTI)
