TCS case: Court denies relief to arrested software professional
A court in Maharashtra’s Nashik has denied interim protection from arrest to Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) employee Danish Shaikh in another case related to alleged sexual harassment and forcible conversion at the local unit of the leading IT firm.
The 31-year-old software professional is already arrested in one of the nine FIRs registered in connection with the case. He is currently in judicial custody.
He has sought interim bail in the case registered at the Mumbai Naka police station here.
The defence had sought interim protection from arrest until the main plea was decided.
However, the prosecution contended that they needed time to file their response.
After hearing both sides, the court on Tuesday refused interim relief to Shaikh and directed the prosecution to file its response by April 27.
In this specific case, Shaikh has been booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 75 (sexual harassment), 299 (deliberate acts to outrage religious feelings) and others.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) is probing a total of nine cases registered in connection with the alleged exploitation, attempt of forceful conversion, hurting religious sentiments, molestation and mental harassment of female employees at the TCS unit.
Eight employees, including a woman HR manager working at the Nashik unit of TCS, have been arrested so far.
The other arrested accused have also moved a bail application, which will be heard in the coming days.
TCS has clarified that it has adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards harassment and coercion of any form for a long time, and the employees allegedly involved in sexual harassment at the Nashik office have been suspended.
