The petition contended that if forced religious conversions are done in a planned, organised, and pressuring way, they should be treated as a “terrorist act”
Police official detain a senior employee of the IT firm in Nashik. (X)
Nashik TCS Row: Triggered by the allegations of religious conversion and sexual harassment at Tata Consultancy Services’ (TCS) office in Nashik, a petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking directions to control deceitful religious conversion.
The petitioner, BJP leader Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, in his plea sought a declaration that forced religious conversion carried out through organised means be treated as a ‘terrorist act’ under criminal law.
Upadhyay contended that deceitful religious conversion is not only a serious threat to sovereignty, secularism, democracy and liberty but also a menace to fraternity, dignity, unity and national integration.
The plea, filed through advocate Ashwani Dubey, has sought directions to the Centre and the state governments to take stringent steps to control religious conversion.
“The organised religious conversion in Nasik has shaken the conscience of citizens throughout the country. Therefore, the petitioner is filing this application for direction seeking certain directions and declarations to control deceitful religious conversion,” the plea said.
The petition contended that if forced religious conversions are done in a planned, organised, and pressuring way, they should be treated as a “terrorist act” as defined under Section 113 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.
It claimed that such conversions are not isolated incidents but part of a larger conspiracy, sometimes supported by foreign groups, to change the population balance and harm India’s unity and security. Because of this, it argued these acts should fall under anti-terror laws.
“Forceful/deceitful religious conversion is not an isolated religious act but a systematic conspiracy often funded by foreign entities to alter the demographic balance and thereby threaten the unity, integrity and security of India. Due to this, it falls under the ambit of a terrorist act as defined under Section 15 by UAPA [Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967],” the plea said.
It has also sought directions to the Centre and the states to establish special courts to deal with religious conversion cases and declare that the sentence for deceitful religious conversion shall be consecutive, not concurrent.
It further explained that while people in India have the right to follow and promote their religion, they do not have the right to convert others using force, fraud, or pressure.
Article 25 gives freedom of conscience, profession, practice and propagation of religion, subject to public order, health and morality, it said.
“All persons will have the right freely to profess, practise and propagate religion and not that all persons will have the right to freely profess, practise and propagate religion. It means the right to profess, practise and propagate religion is free to everyone, but cannot be practised absolutely or freely,” the petition said, stating that it has conditions of public order, morality and health, and the other provisions of this part.
What’s The TCS Case?
Police in Nashik are investigating nine complaints of mental and sexual harassment linked to the TCS branch. The complaints were filed by eight women employees and cover the period from February 2022 to March 2026.
A special investigation team was formed last week. Seven employees have been arrested: Danish Sheikh, Tausif Attar, Raza Memon, Shahrukh Qureshi, Shafi Sheikh, Asif Aftab Ansari, and HR manager Nida Khan.
Another woman employee connected to the ones mentioned above is currently missing.
All arrested staff have been suspended by TCS.
(With inputs from agencies)
Nashik, India, India
April 16, 2026, 22:55 IST
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