Nashik Police’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) has summoned AIMIM corporator Mateen Patel from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in connection with the alleged harassment case linked to Tata Consultancy Services’ BPO unit in Nashik.
Officials said Patel has been called for questioning under Section 35(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). Investigators are looking into allegations related to his purported assistance to one of the accused, Nida Khan, during the course of the case.
The development comes days after the SIT filed a massive 1,500-page chargesheet before a Nashik court, marking a significant step in the investigation that has drawn attention across Maharashtra over allegations of workplace harassment, religious conversion, and identity manipulation.
According to police officials, further investigation into the matter is still underway.
SIT claims evidence of forced religious conversion
In a statement issued by the office of Nashik Police Commissioner Sandeep Karnik, the SIT said it had gathered evidence suggesting that the victim was allegedly forced into religious conversion, an act investigators claim hurt religious sentiments.
Police also said they had seized original documents allegedly used to change the victim’s name and identity.
Apart from documentary evidence, investigators have retrieved digital material, including WhatsApp chat screenshots from the mobile phones of both the victim and the accused persons.
The chargesheet names Danish Ejaz Shaikh, Tausif Bilal Attar, Nida Ejaz Khan, and AIMIM leader Mateen Patel among the accused. Officials said none of the accused has received bail so far.
Nine FIRs registered in the case
Police said nine FIRs have been registered in connection with the matter. However, the chargesheet filed so far pertains to only one of those cases.
The primary chargesheet has been submitted before the Additional Sessions and Special Court at Nashik Road under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
Officials said the chargesheet relates to allegations of rape and hurting religious sentiments that were initially registered at Deolali Police Station in Nashik.
In addition, eight separate FIRs were lodged by TCS employees at the Mumbai Naka Police Station.
The case had triggered widespread outrage after allegations of systematic harassment within the workplace surfaced publicly. Police officials have maintained that the probe is being conducted thoroughly and said the filing of the chargesheet could pave the way for trial proceedings in the coming months.