NASHIK, May 9 -- Nashik city police have booked a first-time AIMIM corporator from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Mateen Patel, for allegedly sheltering Nida Khan, the absconding accused in the TCS-linked BPO sexual exploitation and religious coercion case. Khan was arrested in Sambhajinagar on Thursday and produced before the Nashik Sessions Court on Friday. She has been remanded to police custody until May 11. Patel had allegedly provided a house in the densely populated Naregaon area to Khan, who was living there for a while with her parents, brother and an aunt. The house belonged to someone known to Patel. He also arranged food for them and kept in touch with Nida and her family, police sources said. "Nashik city police will identify all those who harboured Nida, hindering the legal process," said police commissioner, Sandeep Karnik. "Police have questioned Patel about his role in harbouring Nida." Special public prosecutor, Ajay Misar, said that Patel has been booked under section 238 of the BNS, for causing disappearance of evidence or providing false information to protect an offender. "He has been made a co-accused in the case registered against Nida Khan at Devlali police station," said Misar. AIMIM spokesperson, Waris Pathan, said the party would not comment on the issue at this juncture since the matter is sub-judice. "Patel will seek legal opinion in the case in which he has been booked," he said. Khan, who was on the run for 42 days, is the eighth accused to be arrested in the TCS-linked BPO case, where nine FIRs have been filed so far. Along with colleagues, Khan is accused of religious coercion in a suspected racket also involving sexual harassment of employees. She was arrested after the Nashik city police received leads that she was in Sambhajinagar. Police teams from both cities collaborated, to zero in on where Kahn was staying. Police in plainclothes had been scanning the Naregaon locality since Tuesday. "On Thursday, after 7:30pm, a police team went to the house and apprehended Nida. There was no resistance either from her or her family," said Sambhajinagar police sources, adding that Khan and her family had been staying there for five days. Defence counsel Baba Sayyed, told the media that the court has accepted Khan's request that her mother should be allowed to meet her daily since she is pregnant. Meanwhile, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Friday, "It is evidently clear that the AIMIM corporator was involved sheltering her. We will find who all were involved in this. We will also find out if they are part of the conversion racket or supported the racket in any way." A war of words has broken out between social justice minister and Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat and AIMIM leader and former MP, Imtiaz Jaleel. Shirsat, who is guardian minister of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, alleged that AIMIM leaders had helped Nida Khan to avoid the arrest. "Nida Khan received support from AIMIM leaders in avoiding her arrest all these days. Earlier, Imtiaz Jaleel supported her. Police should investigate who protected her and who provided shelter," Shirsat said. "If organised support was given to the accused, then action should be taken under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act," he said. Jaleel dismissed the allegations and accused Shirsat of overstepping his role. "A guardian minister cannot act like the investigating agency or pass judgmental remarks," said Jaleel....