Nida Khan’s interrogation crucial to ‘conversion network’ probe: SIT

During an in-camera hearing before additional sessions judge K G Joshi, special public prosecutor Ajay Misar argued that investigators had gathered “crucial leads” indicating Khan’s alleged involvement in organised religious conversion activities.

PUNE/NASHIK: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case of alleged sexual exploitation and religious coercion linked to a Nashik-based BPO, associated with the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), on Monday opposed the anticipatory bail plea of absconding accused Nida Khan. The investigating agency told a Nashik court that her custodial interrogation was necessary to investigate alleged religious conversion links, overseas ties and financial transactions tied to the case.

Nida Khan’s interrogation crucial to ‘conversion network’ probe: SIT

During an in-camera hearing before additional sessions judge K G Joshi, special public prosecutor Ajay Misar argued that investigators had gathered “crucial leads” indicating Khan’s alleged involvement in organised religious conversion activities. The court reserved its order on the pre-arrest bail plea and is expected to pronounce it on May 2. No interim protection from arrest was granted to Khan.

“We appealed to the court not to grant anticipatory bail as her custodial interrogation is essential to ascertain important aspects of the case, including the money trail and possible overseas links,” Misar told reporters after the hearing.

The case relates to nine FIRs registered by the Nashik city police between March 26 and April 3 against eight senior employees of the BPO after nine workers accused them of sexual exploitation, workplace harassment and religious coercion.

The SIT has so far arrested seven accused persons, while Khan remains untraceable despite multiple search operations conducted by investigation teams.

The prosecution said, investigators found that Khan, along with Shaikh and Attar, were allegedly in touch with groups in Malegaon that handled documentation related to religious conversions.

Misar told the court that the complainant alleged Khan had changed her name to “Haniya” and promised to help her secure employment in Malaysia through her contacts. The prosecution further claimed that Khan repeatedly pressured the complainant to convert her religion and warned that refusal would bring misfortune upon her family.

The SIT also alleged that Khan trained the complainant in ways to offer namaz and wearing a hijab at her residence, besides allegedly installing Islamic applications on the complainant’s mobile phone, apart from frequently sharing religious content through social media platforms.

Advocate Milind Kurkute, appearing for the complainant, opposed the anticipatory bail plea, arguing that the allegations of religious coercion and exploitation were grave in nature.

The defence argued that no specific penal provision under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita criminalises religious conversion. Defence counsels Rahul Kasliwal and Baba Sayeed further contended that Maharashtra does not currently have a dedicated anti-conversion law and claimed that provisions of the SC/ST Act were wrongly invoked in the case.