TCS Nashik case: Sessions court grants bail to Nida Khan

A Nashik sessions court on Monday granted bail to Nida Khan and Tausif Attar, accused in the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) Nashik BPO sexual harassment and religious coercion case [Nida Khan & Ors v. State of Maharashtra]..However, the Court rejecting the bail plea of third co-accused Danish Shaikh.Additional sessions judge Kedar Gurunath Joshi passed the order on the bail pleas filed by the three accused in an FIR registered at the Deolali police station of Nashik district in Maharashtra. They are also charged in another pending FIR containing allegations of similar nature which is registered before the Mumbai Naka police station of Nashik.However, since Khan has been booked only in the Deolali FIR, she will be released from jail. A detailed order is awaited. .The case involves allegations that several accused persons sexually harassed women employees of TCS and made attempts to convert their religion over a four-year period. In all, eight accused – six men and two women, including a Pune-based executive – have been arrested. .The allegations came to light following a sting operation where police officials reportedly disguised themselves as housekeeping staff at TCS to carry out an investigation. Nine FIRs have been registered under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including sexual harassment, insulting religion and joint liability..Khan was arrested on May 7 from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar after a sessions judge rejected her plea for anticipatory bail on May 2. She was remanded to judicial custody on May 11. She approached the court seeking bail on May 13..Shaikh was one of the first accused to be booked and arrested in both FIRs. He was denied interim reliefs and continued to be lodged in the Nashik Central jail along with the other accused..In the order of July 6 denying him bail, the judge noted that the accusations against Shaikh were grave in nature. "Considering the overall circumstances, and the trauma on the victim and the nature of the alleged crime, he does not deserve to be enlarged on bail until evidence of material witnesses, is recorded, in the trial," the court noted in the order. .Amongst the other accused, the Pune based executive Ashwini Chainani was refused bail after the Court noted that despite being part of the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), she had failed to assist the complainant in making a complaint.5 more accused including Attar were denied bail on May 15 in the Mumbai Naka police station FIR citing the vulnerability of the victim and concerns that the influential nature of the accused could lead to witness tampering and evidence manipulation..[Read order]