Kamal Ghorui
NASHIK: For nearly a month, a group of police personnel in plainclothes interacted with the staffers at the BPO unit of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in Nashik and reporting back to their seniors. What they gathered during this covert operation has now led to nine FIRs, multiple serious charges, and the arrest of seven employees, including a senior HR official.
Also read: TCS Nashik case: Men acted like organised gang to target female colleagues, say cops; new chilling details emergeAccording to Nashik City Police, the complaint alleged that a Hindu woman in her early 20s had begun following Islamic practices under workplace influence.Her family, when contacted, told police they had stopped her from attending work after noticing changes in her lifestyle mostly related to practices of faith, prompting authorities to initiate a discreet probe into the 147-employee facility.Read also: Nashik TCS unit suspends accused IT employees: ‘Sexual harassment, forced conversion’ case snowballs; what we knowPolice sent constables — including women officers — in plainclothes to the unit assuring complainants of full cooperation and safety.Based on findings, the first FIR was registered at Deolali police station in March. The complainant accused a colleague of rape, alleging he had concealed his marriage and established a relationship with her on the promise of marriage. Police also invoked provisions related to hurting religious sentiments, claiming he influenced her religious practices. Two arrests followed. Investigators said a phone scan of one of the accused revealed images of another Hindu employee in Muslim attire, which led to further questioning and additional complaints.As the probe widened, more employees mostly women aged 18–25, came forward with allegations of sexual harassment, coercion and religious pressure. Police said many were initially hesitant to complain but did so after learning of the arrests.Between March 26 and April 3, nine FIRs were registered across Deolali Camp and Mumbai Naka police stations. Charges invoked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) include rape, sexual harassment, stalking, outraging modesty, and deliberate acts to outrage religious feelings.Seven FIRs carry similar allegations, including inappropriate touching, sexually coloured remarks, pressure linked to personal or religious choices, and claims that workload increased if advances were resisted.
7 arrested so far
So far, seven people, including six men and one woman have been arrested, while another female accused remains absconding. Police teams are tracking her using technical and intelligence inputs.The arrested include several team leaders and senior staff, as well as an assistant general manager (delivery partner), who has been booked for allegedly ignoring complaints despite being part of the company’s internal POSH mechanism. Investigators said even verbal complaints should have triggered action under workplace harassment norms.Where did complaints go? Tracing the internal trail in TCS Nashik caseA Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by ACP (Crime) Sandeep Mitke is probing all nine cases. Officials said the SIT is also examining whether the company complied with mandatory provisions under the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) Act, including the functioning of an Internal Committee.While the case has triggered political reactions and claims of “organised conversion”, police officials have so far said they have found no evidence of a larger conspiracy.
Defence calls allegations ‘exaggerated’
Lawyers representing the accused have dismissed the charges as exaggerated and misinterpreted. Advocate Baba Sayyad argued that casual workplace interactions and voluntary behaviour were being criminalised.“Wearing traditional attire during festivals or discussing religion does not amount to conversion. Compliments or personal conversations cannot be treated as criminal acts,” he said.
TCS responds strongly
TCS said it has suspended employees named in the case and reiterated its “zero-tolerance policy” towards harassment and coercion.In a statement, Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran termed the allegations “gravely concerning and anguishing,” adding that a detailed internal investigation is underway under the leadership of Chief Operating Officer Aarthi Subramanian.The company said it is fully cooperating with law enforcement and will take “appropriate and stringent action” based on findings.Public prosecutor Kiran Bendbhar told the court that a senior manager at TCS’s Nashik office periodically emailed the AGM about complaints against the two employees accused of sexual harassment. SIT has transcripts of the emails, apart from recovering 78 emails and a chat from the AGM’s digital devices. These needed to be analysed in her presence, Bendbhar said. Police will also scrutinise the AGM’s bank statements to ascertain if there were any financial transactions linked to the case, the prosecutor said.The SIT’s remand report states that despite being informed by the complainant about the harassment, the AGM allegedly did not act on it. “Why do you want to get highlighted? Let it go. Leave it,” the AGM told the complainant, thereby emboldening the two accused employees, the report says.Assistant public prosecutor Aniket Avhand told the court that SIT’s review of the AGM’s call detail records (showed 38 conversations with one of the accused and another call with a second accused.Defence lawyer V R Deshpande, opposing the remand plea, submitted that his client had already provided all email details to the SIT and her physical presence was not required for technical analysis. He also said his client cooperated with SIT on March 31, days before the FIR was registered.On April 8, Nashik Police said in a release that they had arrested six employees of TCS, one of them on the charge of sexual exploitation of an office colleague under what it termed “a breach of promise to marry her,” and the remaining five on charges of sexual harassment and hurting religious sentiments on different occasions over the last four years.The rape case, the first of nine alleged sexual offences, was registered on March 26 at Nashik’s Devlali Camp police station. The remaining eight cases, including the one in which the AGM has been arrested, were registered later in phases at Mumbai Naka police station. All six accused are in judicial custody at Nashik Road central prison.
Protests outside unit
The Nashik facility has seen operations slow down, with minimal staff presence reported during visits. Meanwhile, protests have been staged outside the premises by political groups, demanding strict action.Police clarified that any decision on shutting or relocating the office rests solely with the company, and authorities have not ordered any closure.With multiple FIRs, cross-complaints and an absconding accused, the SIT is expected to widen its probe further, including examining internal corporate processes and accountability within HR mechanisms.(The victim’s identity has not been revealed to protect their privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)Also Read: TCS Nashik scandal: FIRs map chilling 4-year pattern of sex abuse, coercion and religious targeting
Asha Bhosle passes away at 92
Asha Bhosle passes away at 92