Who Is AIMIM Corporator Mateen Majid Patel, Accused Of Sheltering TCS Nashik Harassment Case Suspect Nida Khan?

AIMIM corporator Matin Patel has been named as an accused for allegedly sheltering TCS Nashik case suspect Nida Khan and her family in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Khan was arrested during a joint police operation linked to TCS case.

AIMIM corporator linked to TCS Nashik case

An AIMIM corporator from Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar has come under police investigation after allegedly giving shelter to Nida Khan, one of the main accused in the TCS Nashik sexual harassment and religious coercion case.

Police said the corporator, identified as Mateen Majid Patel, has now been named as an accused for allegedly helping Khan and her family hide in the city.

The development came after a joint operation by Nashik Police and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Police led to Khan’s arrest on Thursday.

Who is Mateen Patel?

Mateen Patel is a corporator from the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) in for Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar). 

According to police officials, Patel allegedly provided refuge to 27-year-old Nida Khan and her family in the Naregaon area of the city while police teams were searching for her.

Officials said Patel came under suspicion during the investigation into the alleged harassment and religious coercion case linked to Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in Nashik.

How police tracked Nida Khan

Nashik Police Commissioner Sandeep Karnik said Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Police Commissioner Pravin Pawar and his team helped trace Khan’s location.

According to officials, police received information that Khan was hiding in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. During the investigation, police found that local corporator Mateen Majid Patel had allegedly given shelter to Nida Khan.

Commissioner Karnik said the information was shared with Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Police Commissioner Pravin Pawar, who then formed teams for secret surveillance in the suspected area.

Police later confirmed Khan’s location in the Naregaon area.

Karnik said corporator Mateen Patel has now also been named as an accused in the case for allegedly harbouring Khan and helping her hide from police.

Based on the tip-off, Commissioner Pawar reportedly called Patel and some others to the police security branch on the pretext of reviewing charges related to security provided during civic body elections.

During questioning, Patel allegedly disclosed the location where Khan and her family were staying.

After this, police teams from both cities searched a house in Naregaon and arrested Khan.

According to police, the arrest operation was carried out after officers tracked Khan’s exact location.

A team of plainclothes police officers using unmarked vehicles reached the area and picked her up in a swift operation.

Police said Khan’s father Ejaj Bashir, mother Nilofar Ejaj, brother Mohammad Ejaj and aunt Noorjehan Sheikh Ali were also present in the house.

Nashik Police Commissioner Sandeep Karnik said accused Nida Khan was taken into custody after her anticipatory bail plea was rejected by the court.

He said Nashik City Police carried out a joint operation with Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Police and arrested her from the Naregaon area after a two-day search operation.

Khan is one of the accused in the TCS Nashik case involving allegations of sexual harassment and hurting the religious sentiments of some employees.

What is the TCS Nashik case?

The case came to light after allegations were made by several female employees at the TCS unit in Nashik.

The Nashik Police SIT registered nine FIRs linked to claims of sexual harassment, mental harassment, hurting religious sentiments and attempts at forceful religious conversion.

So far, eight people, including a female operations manager, had already been arrested before Khan’s arrest.

According to the FIR, Khan allegedly advised women employees to dress and behave according to Islamic traditions.

Some complainants also alleged that employees were pressured to follow certain religious practices, including praying, changing food habits and wearing religious symbols.

Charges against Nida Khan

Besides charges related to sexual harassment and defamation under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Khan has also been booked under sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act because one of the complainants belongs to a Scheduled Caste.

Police said Khan had approached a Nashik court on April 18 seeking anticipatory bail and interim protection from arrest, citing her pregnancy.

However, the court rejected her anticipatory bail plea on May 2.

TCS response

TCS has stated that it follows a zero-tolerance policy against harassment and coercion of any kind.

The company also confirmed that employees allegedly involved in the case at the Nashik office have been suspended.

AIMIM leader on police booking Mateen Patel

AIMIM leader Imtiaz Jaleel on the involvement of Mateen Patel and accused Nida Khan in Nashik case said that he was yet to get details on the case and the charges against Patel. He added that an ‘accused had the right to bail unless a crime has been proven’. Speaking to reporters, he said, "Is the girl booked under all these sections? There's just a label on her that she hurt religious sentiments. We're not supporting it... I'm confident that the police and courts will act in an impartial manner... If it had been a Nisha Patil, Nita Deshpande or Nancy Fernandes, instead of Nida Khan, my stand would have been the same..."

Commissioner Karnik said police will continue investigating the case and identify anyone who may have helped the accused or tried to obstruct the legal process.

He also thanked Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Police Commissioner Pravin Pawar and his team for supporting Nashik Police during the operation.

(With inputs from agencies)