‘Ask Imtiaz Jaleel Sahib’: How a former AIMIM MP’s name came up in the Nashik TCS chargesheet

According to the chargesheet, the probe showed that Patel provided refuge to Nida despite knowing that her anticipatory bail plea had been rejected by a Nashik court. “While the search for accused Nida Ejaz Khan was in progress, it was revealed through confidential information and technical analysis that Matin Majid Patel had provided shelter to the accused to help her evade arrest,” the chargesheet states.

The document says that when Patel was summoned to the Crime Branch office in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and questioned about Nida’s whereabouts, he repeatedly responded: “Imtiyaz Jalil Sahib ko poochna padega (We will have to ask Imtiaz Jaleel Sahib).”

The chargesheet adds that after sustained questioning, Patel finally led police to where Nida and her family had allegedly been sheltered, and that in the raid in the Naregaon-Kausar CIDCO area of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nida, her parents, brother and aunt were found. Nida was taken into custody and handed over to the Nashik Police Special Investigation Team.

Nida Khan’s home demolished

Subsequently, the civic authorities demolished the house where Nida was allegedly found, along with two other properties linked to Matin Patel. One of the premises was later found to be owned by Hanif Khan, who said he had given it to Patel to use. Hanif too was later booked in the case and questioned by the Nashik police.

So far, police have not issued any notice to Jaleel or sought to question him in the investigation. However, his mention in the chargesheet comes at a time when Shiv Sena minister Sanjay Shirsat has been alleging Jaleel’s role in what he calls “the corporate jihad case”, and claiming that AIMIM leaders helped Nida evade arrest. Last month, he called for the stringent MCOCA to be invoked against AIMIM leaders.

Significantly, in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, previously known as Aurangabad, the AIMIM is the principal opposition in the municipal corporation.

Jaleel has not denied meeting Nida’s family while she was said to be absconding. On April 21, he publicly stated that he had met her, her mother and aunt and would support them. He also led a protest against the demolition by municipal authorities of the house where Nida stayed after his arrest.

Bigger place for Matin: AIMIM promises

In an address to supporters, Jaleel said: “We will fight this legally. I assure you that the AIMIM will build Matin a better and bigger place at the same location.”

Contacted by The Indian Express, Jaleel said he was currently in Saudi Arabia for Haj and was unaware that his name had been mentioned in the chargesheet. “I am ready to face any inquiry. I have already acknowledged that I met the girl’s (Nida’s) family, and I will continue to fight for what I believe is right,” he said.

Matin Patel’s lawyer, Abhaysinh Bhosale, said his alleged reference to Jaleel should not be given too much importance. “Patel may have taken Jaleel’s name because the latter is his boss as the party president. To suggest that Jaleel had a role in the entire TCS controversy is sheer politics.”

On Tuesday, the Nashik police initiated proceedings to collect Patel’s voice samples and will analyse call recordings recovered from his mobile phone to determine whom he was in contact with during the period when Nida was allegedly on the run.

On the other accused, the chargesheet says that the complainant in the first FIR has said she was subjected to abuse starting July 2022 when Danish met her at Khandoba Hill. She alleges Danish forcibly kissed her then, and later had sexual intercourse with her using force in August 2024, when the two of them had gone on a motorcycle ride to Trimbak Road. According to the complainant, there were multiple occasions after this when they had physical relations, at different places, allegedly on the promise of marriage.

As per the chargesheet, there was “financial exploitation” as well, with the woman claiming Danish regularly made her bear the expenses of resort stays, café visits and groceries, and that she gave him expensive gifts, including watches and bags.

The chargesheet states that Danish also sought money from her on several occasions, such as Rs 10,000 for a house, Rs 5,000 for a 40-day trip and Rs 5,000 every month towards a savings scheme. The woman has reportedly said that, overall, she spent more than Rs 2.2 lakh on him during the course of their relationship.

On Nida’s alleged role, the chargesheet says she played a key role in introducing the complainant to Islamic religious practices and teachings, acting on the “instructions of” Danish and Tausif. As per the document, Nida sent the complainant social media videos related to Islam, downloaded the Muslim Pro application on her phone and encouraged her to learn Islamic prayers.

Nida and Danish made the complainant repeatedly recite Al Fatiha and other prayers, as per the chargesheet, while Nida allegedly also pressured her to formally embrace Islam. The chargesheet records the complainant’s allegation that Nida warned her that if she did not complete the process, “Allah will send you and your family to Jahannum (hell).”

The chargesheet further states that after the complainant allegedly recited the Kalma on June 6, 2025, Nida became more directly involved in her religious instruction. According to the complainant’s statement, between June 2025 and January 2026, Nida regularly took her to her residence after office hours, where she was allegedly made to wear a burqa, taught how to wear a hijab and instructed to offer namaz.

As per the complainant, as recorded in the chargesheet, Nida’s family was aware of these activities, and her mother reportedly discussed plans openly to send the complainant to a madrasa.

On Tausif, another accused, the chargesheet says he knew of the complainant’s relationship with Danish and used that information to exert pressure on her to enter into a physical relationship with him.