Bail pleas of six accused in Nashik TCS case rejected

Nashik: District court judge VV Kathare of Nashik on Friday rejected the bail applications of six accused in four different cases of sexual harassment and outraging modesty registered with the Mumbai Naka police based on complaints from women employees in TCS Nashik.There are nine FIRs registered in Nashik based on the complaints of sexual harassment and outraging modesty. Eight of these are registered with the Mumbai Naka police while one is with the Deolali Camp police. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the Nashik commissioner of police, is investigating all these cases.Eight people, including two women, have been arrested. The bail applications were filed by the counsels of five men and one woman employee in the court. During the hearing, the defence lawyer argued in court that the arrests “were illegal” as they were ready to cooperate with the investigation. “The accused were not involved in any kind of crime, sexual harassment or molestation, as claimed by the prosecution,” said defence lawyer Baba Sayyed.The counsel for the arrested woman employee, who was (AGM Delivery), claimed that “no written complaint had been submitted to the accused” and hence, no action should have been initiated against the accused.Strongly opposing these arguments, special public prosecutor Ajay Misar, assisted by assistant public prosecutor VR Gaikwad, submitted the arrest documentation and argued that the accused were actively evading the investigation and avoiding information disclosure despite being served notices.“It may be noted that another woman employee accused in the case had been absconding for 40 days before being arrested from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Had all accused fled, it would have been impossible for the SIT to conduct the probe,” said Misar.Misar argued, “The accused exploited the helplessness of the victims, subjected them to atrocities, and regularly made obscene remarks to humiliate them.”