A Nashik court has granted bail to five men accused in the alleged sexual harassment and forcible conversion case at the Nashik unit of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), noting that the chargesheet has been filed and the investigation is practically complete. Additional Sessions Judge Amit Vinayak Kharkar allowed the bail pleas on 30 July.
The five, named in court records as Raza Rafiq Memon, Asif Aftab Ansari, Shahrukh Hussain Shaukat Qureshi, Shafi Bhikan Shaikh and Tausif Bilal Attar, were granted relief in connection with multiple FIRs registered at the Mumbai Naka police station in Nashik. The court observed there was no serious apprehension that the accused, if released, would threaten prosecution witnesses or tamper with evidence.
“The chargesheet is filed. Investigation is practically completed. There is no serious apprehension that the accused, if released on bail, would threaten the prosecution witnesses or tamper with the evidence,” the court stated in its order.
The prosecution had opposed bail. According to the police, the prime accused made sexually coloured remarks, touched the complainant inappropriately, demanded sexual favours, and belittled her religion while glorifying his own, with the other accused alleged to have supported those actions. The prosecution argued the accused took undue advantage of the complainant’s financial situation, which it said forced her to endure a hostile work environment. The defence, represented by advocate Rahul Kasliwal, characterised the alleged remarks as light-hearted office banter.
The court imposed several conditions. The accused must report to the police station every Saturday between 11 AM and 4 PM until the trial concludes, and are barred from entering the complainant’s workplace or residential vicinity, and from contacting the complainant, witnesses or anyone connected to the case. The court also noted the accused had been in custody for over three months.
The broader matter remains under investigation. A Special Investigation Team is probing nine cases tied to alleged exploitation, attempted forced conversion, hurting of religious sentiments, molestation and mental harassment of female employees at the unit. TCS has stated that it maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards harassment and coercion of any form, and that the employees allegedly involved were suspended.
