‘No Bhagwan Songs, Don’t Go To Temples’: Woman Forced To Watch Pakistani Preacher's Videos In TCS Nashik Case

Last Updated:June 05, 2026, 07:40 IST

The woman alleged that a married man sexually exploited her by falsely promising marriage, and also encouraged her to distance herself from Hindu religious beliefs and practices.

A 23-year-old woman, whose complaint forms a key part of the TCS Nashik sexual harassment and religious conversion case, has told investigators that she was allegedly asked to watch videos of a Pakistani preacher and other religious speakers aimed at influencing her beliefs.

According to the woman, the accused introduced her to Islamic teachings through videos and sermons by Pakistani cleric Tariq Jamil as well as speeches by controversial preacher Zakir Naik.

She further alleged that she was gradually exposed to Islamic teachings and was repeatedly encouraged to distance herself from Hindu religious practices, including visiting temples and listening to devotional songs associated with the faith.

The claims are part of a chargesheet submitted by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), set up by the Maharashtra government to probe allegations made by several women working at a BPO unit associated with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in Nashik.

The women have accused certain colleagues of sexual exploitation, molestation, religious pressure, and sustained mental harassment.

‘Islam Will Reduce Mental Stress’

The victim informed the police that a calculated psychological and religious manipulation campaign was orchestrated by the accused and that the accused was exploiting her vulnerability under the guise of reducing her “mental stress".

The victim said that she was manipulated to this extent that she was “convinced" that accepting Islam would reduce her mental stress.

“I was convinced that if I accepted the Islamic religion, my mental stress would decrease. I slowly started believing in those things," the complainant said in her statement.

According to the chargesheet, the victim was also introduced to Islamic theology, including Jannah (heaven), Jahannum (hell), Qurbani (sacrifice), Bakri Eid and Zamzam water.

‘Stop Listening To Bhagwan Songs, Going To Temple’

The chargesheet has been filed in connection with a case registered at the Deolali Camp police station, naming Danish Shaikh, Tausif Attar and Nida Khan as accused.

In her statement, the complainant alleged that Danish Shaikh, despite being married, sexually exploited her on the pretext of marriage.

When the victim told him that she was afraid of her future and family acceptance, Shaikh said, “Don’t be afraid, trust me, Allah is with us. Stop listening to Bhagwan songs and going to the temple; your stress will decrease."

He also allegedly encouraged her to recite Tasbeeh, telling her that doing so would help alleviate her anxiety.

In her statement, the victim said, Shaikh told her, “The more you take Allah’s name, your sins will be forgiven, and your good deeds will increase, whether you read Astaghfar, meaning you will ask for forgiveness from Allah, and your mental stress will decrease."

‘Watch Videos Of Pakistani Islamic Clerics’

According to the complainant, Shaikh directed co-accused Tausif Attar and Nida Khan to familiarise her with Islamic teachings. She alleged that Attar encouraged her to watch videos and speeches by controversial Pakistani Islamic cleric and preacher Zakir Naik and Pakistani Islamic scholar Dr Israr Ahmed, as part of those efforts.

The woman further alleged that Danish had access to detailed information about her bank accounts, including her UPI PIN, and was fully aware of the funds available in them.

“Danish had told Tausif and Nida to give me information about the Islamic religion. Therefore, Tausif and Nida used to tell me about the Islamic religion from time to time. Tausif told me to search for videos of Zakir Naik and Dr Israr Ahmed (Pakistani Islamic scholar) on my mobile on YouTube and listen to them, and I watched them as per his instructions," said the victim.

SIT Names Additional Accused

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has widened its probe in the Nashik case, naming additional individuals beyond the three primary accused.

Among them is AIMIM corporator Mateen Patel from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, who has been accused of allegedly providing shelter to co-accused Nida Khan while she was on the run, despite being aware that her anticipatory bail application had been rejected.

Probe Spans Nine FIRs, Multiple Accused

The SIT’s first chargesheet, submitted in May, is based on statements from 106 witnesses. These include the complainant, her mother, employees of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), members of the company’s Internal Complaints Committee under the POSH framework, and investigating officers.

As the investigation progressed, the SIT filed additional charge sheets linked to eight FIRs registered at Mumbai Naka police station.

Across the nine cases, the accused include Danish Shaikh, Tausif Attar, Nida Khan, Raza Memon, Shahrukh Qureshi, Shafi Sheikh, Asif Aftab Ansari and Ashwini Ashok Chainani. All of them are currently in judicial custody.

So far, nine employees have come forward with separate complaints, prompting a broader investigation into allegations of harassment, coercion and workplace misconduct.

Allegations Against Nida Khan

According to the FIR, Nida Khan allegedly used a WhatsApp group to influence employees and pressure them on matters related to religion and lifestyle.

She is accused of urging staff members to offer prayers, consume non-vegetarian food, and encouraging women employees to dress and conduct themselves in line with Islamic customs and traditions.

TCS Reiterates Zero-Tolerance Policy

TCS has suspended employees named in the case pending investigation. Responding to the controversy, TCS Chief Executive Officer K Krithivasan said the company remains committed to employee welfare, workplace safety and ethical conduct.

TCS CEO K Krithivasan said, “TCS holds itself to the highest standards of employee welfare and institutional conduct. We remain fully committed to the safety, dignity, and well-being of every employee…we have a zero-tolerance policy towards any form of coercion or misconduct."

“We are focused on supporting our employees and ensuring a safe and respectful workplace across all our locations. We continue to extend full cooperation to the law enforcement agencies so that the matter is investigated thoroughly, transparently and brought to a rightful conclusion," he added.

About the Author

Prisha Vibhavari

Prisha is the Chief Sub-Editor at News18.com, with more than 10 years of experience in national and international news. She specialises in editorial leadership, sharp news judgment, and high-impact st...Read More

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