Nashik Crime Branch Intensifies Search for TCS Staffer in Religious Harassment Probe
A team from the Nashik Crime Branch Unit 1 on Friday conducted operations in Mumbra, Thane district, as part of a high-priority investigation to locate a 26-year-old woman staffer from the TCS Nashik office. The accused is facing serious allegations of subjecting a co-worker to religious harassment, a case that has drawn significant attention from law enforcement and women's rights bodies.
Details of the Accused and Her Movements
Originally from Nashik, the woman was recently transferred to Mumbai after her husband secured employment with a private company in Mumbra as a logistics officer. According to a Mumbra police officer who spoke anonymously, "Her husband informed investigators that a relative took her back to Nashik a couple of days ago." The couple had moved to a rented apartment in the Amrut Nagar area in February this year, and following her transfer, she commuted to TCS offices in Malad and Hiranandani.
Investigation and Legal Developments
As part of the ongoing probe, the Nashik Crime Branch team tracked down and detained her husband from his workplace in Mumbra. He is being questioned to ascertain her whereabouts and gather further details related to the case. Meanwhile, the woman staffer is preparing to file an anticipatory bail plea before a Nashik court, citing pregnancy as one of the grounds for relief.
Her lawyer, Baba Sayyad, stated on Friday, "We are finalising the anticipatory bail plea and support documents in consultation with our client's father, who is in Nashik for this purpose." He added, "Going by the FIR, the case against our client pertains to hurting religious sentiments. It is the Constitutional right of our client to seek anticipatory bail. Our client is in her early stage of pregnancy, which is another reason for seeking bail. We will process the plea in a couple of days with the Nashik sessions court."
Broader Case Context and Police Efforts
The woman has been named a co-accused in the first of nine cases of sexual offences and religious harassment registered by Nashik police. The initial case, filed on March 26 at Deolali Camp police station, involves a woman employee accusing a colleague of hiding his marital status, sexually exploiting her under false pretenses of job assistance and marriage, and reneging on promises. As a co-accused, the woman staffer faces charges of making objectionable statements that hurt the religious sentiments of the complainant.
Officials noted that the woman resided in Mumbra for the past two months before going incommunicado, with her current whereabouts unknown. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) in Nashik has formed three teams to trace her. A police source explained, "Our team questioned her husband, who claimed she had gone to her relative's place. We visited the relative's place, but it was locked and their phone numbers were switched off. We have dispatched teams to other locations as part of our search."
National Commission for Women Intervention
In response to the allegations, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has appointed a four-member Fact Finding Committee. The NCW acted suo motu, and the committee is scheduled to visit Nashik on Saturday. Its mandate includes:
- Conducting an on-the-spot inquiry at the TCS facility in Nashik and other relevant locations.
- Examining the circumstances leading to the incident and assessing the response of concerned authorities.
- Interacting with victims, police officials, company representatives, and other stakeholders to gather evidence and identify lapses.
- Recommending appropriate action against those found responsible.
This development underscores the gravity of the case, which intertwines issues of workplace harassment, religious sensitivity, and legal protections for pregnant women, making it a focal point for ongoing investigations and public scrutiny.
