Nashik (Maharashtra), Jun 19 A court here is expected to pass an order on the bail applications of TCS employees Nida Khan and Danish Shaikh in the alleged sexual harassment and religious conversion case on June 25.
Additional Sessions Judge (Nashik Road court) K G Joshi reserved the case for order after both the defence and prosecution completed their arguments.
Khan, represented by advocate Rahul Kasliwal, sought bail primarily on the ground that she is pregnant.
Danish Shaikh's lawyer Umesh Walzade contended that the investigation was complete, and hence his custody was no longer required.
Public prosecutor Vijay Gaikwad, along with victim's lawyers Milind Kurkute and Nitin Pandit, opposed their pleas. Evidence of sexual assault and religious coercion has come to the fore during the investigation and the charges were serious, they contended.
The prosecution submitted that Danish gave a religious book and a burqa to the victim, who belongs to a Scheduled Caste, suggesting that she was sexually exploited and there was a conscious attempt to convert her.
If granted bail, it will pose a threat to the victim's life, it submitted.
The case pertains to an FIR registered at Deolali Camp police station under the BNS sections 69 (Sexual intercourse by employing deceitful means etc), 65 (sexual harassment) and 299 (outraging religious feelings).
The accused have also been booked under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
A Special Investigation Team is probing a total of nine cases in connection with the alleged exploitation, attempt of forceful conversion, hurting religious sentiments, molestation and mental harassment of employees at the TCS unit in Nashik.
The software major has clarified that it has a zero-tolerance policy towards harassment and coercion in any form, and the employees allegedly involved in sexual harassment at the Nashik office have been suspended.
