AIMIM leader pressured corporator to harbour TCS case accused Nida Khan, claims Shiv Sena minister

Talking to reporters, Shirsat, a Shiv Sena leader who is also the guardian minister of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, said he has written to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, demanding that those who had provided shelter to Khan and her family members should also come under the SIT scanner.

Mumbai: Maharashtra Minister Sanjay Shirsat on Saturday launched a fresh attack against AIMIM leader Imtiaz Jaleel, alleging that the latter had pressured his party corporator to harbour Nida Khan, an accused in the TCS sexual harassment and religious coercion case.

Talking to reporters here, Shirsat, a Shiv Sena leader who is also the guardian minister of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, said he has written to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, demanding that those who had provided shelter to Khan and her family members should also come under the SIT scanner.

Weeks after she went into hiding, Khan, an accused in a case related to alleged religious conversion and sexual harassment of some women colleagues at a TCS unit in Nashik, was apprehended from a house in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on Thursday.

AIMIM corporator Matin Patel allegedly harboured Khan and her family in the city, the police said.

''The details emerging from the (TCS) case are shocking. Nida Khan first went to Mumbra, and later, Imtiaz Jaleel met her in Nashik, following which he made a statement supporting her. She came to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and stayed here for over a month, and the house she stayed in belongs to an AIMIM corporator,'' Shirsat alleged.

The corporator cannot feign ignorance about Nida Khan's stay, he said.

"Imtiaz Jaleel pressured the corporator to help Nida Khan,'' he alleged.

Shirsat further remarked that the TCS case was an isolated incident, and there were "many Nida Khans in Maharashtra".

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Nashik police is probing nine cases of molestation and harassment at the IT major's Nashik unit.

It had arrested eight persons, including a female operations manager, by registering nine FIRs after allegations of exploitation, attempt of forceful conversion, hurting religious sentiments, molestation and mental harassment of female employees at the TCS unit came to light.

Khan is accused of targeting employees in a WhatsApp group, pressuring them to pray and eat non-vegetarian food. According to the FIR, she also allegedly advised women employees to dress and behave in accordance with Islamic traditions.

Shirsat said he has written to the chief minister seeking that those who harboured and helped Khan also come under the SIT scanner.

He further alleged that workers of the banned outfit, Students Islamic Movement of India, have become a part of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM).

AIMIM leader and former MP Jaleel had on Friday dismissed Shirsat's previous claims and accusations about his involvement in the TCS case and said he will not pay heed to Shirsat's remarks against him.