Court adjourns bail application of 3 TCS employees in Deolali Camp case to June 12

Nashik: The Nashik Road district and additional sessions court has adjourned the hearing on the bail applications of TCS Nashik three employees — who are accused in an alleged sexual assault and religious harassment case — to June 12, following a request by the prosecution for more time.The case, registered on March 26 at the Deolali Camp police station, involves three accused, including a 27-year-old woman who evaded arrest for nearly 40 days before being traced to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and arrested on May 8. Her anticipatory bail plea had earlier been rejected by the court.Defence counsel, advocate Baba Sayyad, said the adjournment was sought by the prosecution to file its response. “The hearing was adjourned because the prosecution requested more time to submit its response to the bail applications,” he said, adding, “The bail applications were filed on the grounds that the investigation has concluded and the chargesheet has already been filed.”According to the police, the FIR was lodged by an unmarried woman against the three accused. The accused have been charged under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 61(2) (criminal conspiracy), 64 (rape), 68 (sexual intercourse by a person in authority), 69 (sexual intercourse obtained by deceitful means or a false promise to marry), 75 (sexual harassment), 46 (abetting), 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings), 238 (causing disappearance of evidence or giving false information to screen an offender), 249 (harbouring an offender), and 3(5) (common intention). Additionally, relevant charges under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, have also been invoked.The police said the main accused allegedly concealed his marital status and sexually exploited the complainant, his coworker, on the false promise of marriage. Another male colleague is accused of sexually harassing her at the workplace, while the woman accused allegedly made remarks hurting the complainant’s religious sentiments.The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Nashik police commissionerate filed a 1,500-page charge sheet in the case on May 22.