Exploitation & Conversion Row Rocks Nashik IT Firm; Key Accused in Custody, Probe Widens

A major controversy has erupted around a reputed multinational IT company in Nashik, Maharashtra, where six employees have been booked in connection with an alleged religious conversion and sexual exploitation case.

The Nashik police have arrested six employees of the firm. One of them has been charged with sexually exploiting a female colleague on the pretext of marriage, while the remaining five have been accused of sexual harassment and hurting the religious sentiments of other women colleagues at different points over the last four years.

The five accused identified as Tausif Attar, Raza Memon, Shahrukh Qureshi, Shafi Sheikh and Asif Ansari, have been remanded to judicial custody. 
Meanwhile, Ashwini Chenani, an operations manager and one of the key suspects in the case, has been sent to police custody till April 13. She was produced before the court after being detained from Pune.

The case is currently being investigated by a Special Investigation Team (SIT), with nine offences registered so far. Investigators are probing multiple angles, and more revelations are expected as the probe progresses.

Officials believe that Chenani’s custodial interrogation could yield crucial leads. Police are also preparing to seek custody of the five accused again in connection with another case involving charges of molestation and hurting religious sentiments.

According to police, the IT company employs nearly 300 people, and most of the arrested individuals were working as team leaders.
The case has also sparked political reactions. BJP karyakartas staged a massive protest outside the company premises, even breaking the gate in the presence of security personnel while raising slogans against alleged religious conversions.

Police said the first case, involving rape charges, was registered at Devlali police station on March 26. The remaining eight cases were subsequently registered in phases at Mumbai Naka police station.

The controversy has triggered widespread outrage across the state, with attention now firmly on the ongoing investigation and court proceedings.