Nashik, Maharashtra: As the ‘TCS Nashik conversion racket’ controversy continues to rage, one name has emerged as central to the investigation—Nida Khan.
The prosecution calls her “mastermind” of the conspiracy, and the Special Investigation Team probing the cases says she is the sole accused still at large. But of the nine FIRs lodged in the matter, the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) Nashik employee has so far been named in one, in which she is formally accused for one thing—allegedly telling a colleague that the “Shivling is a male sexual organ and praying to it is obscene”.
The TCS Nashik office was thrust into the spotlight after nine FIRs were lodged in March and April based on complaints by eight female employees and a male employee who accused their colleagues and HR officials of assault, sexual violence, and religious coercion and conversion over four years.
Seven of the accused named across the nine cases have been arrested.
Nida’s name appears in FIR No. 156 of 2026, the sole FIR lodged at Deolali Camp Police Station, Nashik, on 25 March. The remaining eight FIRs were registered at other police stations of the Maharashtra city.
That FIR names 26-year-old Nida Khan alongside Danish Shaikh and Tausif Akhtar, both of whom have been arrested. The charges invoked against them are Section 69 (sexual intercourse under false promise of marriage), Section 75 (sexual harassment), Section 299 (acts insulting religious beliefs), and Section 3(5) (common intention) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
A closer look at the FIR, seen by ThePrint, shows that Nida is named two times in the document, potentially implicating her under Section 299. “Nida Khan and Tausif (Akhtar) tried to convince me that the Shivling is actually a male sexual organ and praying to it is obscene,” the complainant said in the FIR.
The second mention reads. “During July 2022 to February 2026, Danish Shaikh, Tausif Akhtar and Nida Khan said objectionable things about the gods in Hindu religion and hurt my religious feelings.”
Sandeep Mitke, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime), Nashik, who heads the SIT constituted a day after the FIR was filed, said: “She is charged with abetment mainly, and conspiracy to promote religious coercion against employees at the workplace.”
He added: “She is the only accused who has not been apprehended as she is absconding. Our team is currently searching for her.”
Assistant Public Prosecutor Aniket Awad at the District and Sessions Court, Nashik, alleged that Nida’s role was more consequential and part of a broader conspiracy.
“She seems to be the mastermind of this entire conspiracy or religious coercion,” Awad told ThePrint.
Earlier this week, a senior police officer told ThePrint that Nida was a human resources (HR) manager at the firm who was accused of failing to act on e-mails flagging harassment and sexual assault.
The officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said police suspect that Nida was a key player of the “conversion racket”. She allegedly circulated names of female employees on a WhatsApp group, following which the other accused targeted women in the office, the officer had said.
“We believe she was involved in this at a much larger scale,” the senior police officer had said.
Lawyers Rahul Kasliwal and Baba Sayyad—who represent Nida and three other accused named across the nine FIRs—are also contesting the characterisation of the 26-year-old, and are readying an anticipatory bail application.
“We are in the process of filing an anticipatory bail for Nida. She has not been arrested yet, so that might help her,” Kasliwal said.
Sayyad said of the prosecution’s allegation against Nida, “Her family is devastated and distraught. It was just a conversation. No conspiracy.”
A source close to Nida’s family told ThePrint, “A young boy who works as a delivery boy was beaten by people when they found out that he was related to Nida.”
ThePrint also found out that Nida worked as a project associate with TCS, and not an HR manager, as has been widely claimed.
Her 9 April suspension later from TCS after the FIRs were filed says, “You joined the services of Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. (the “Company”), with effect from 27-Dec-2021 and are currently designated as Project Associate.”
As a project associate at the BPO, her responsibilities would typically involve executing client tasks such as tele-support, data entry, billing and claims processing.
Asked about the prosecution’s claims about Nida being the mastermind, Public Prosecutor Kiran Bendbhar gave a guarded response. “Once she is found and taken into custody, there will be more clarity as to the extent of her involvement,” Bendbhar told ThePrint.
ThePrint reached out to Nashik police for more details on Nida’s arrest warrant. The report will be updated if and when they respond.
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