Kamal Ghorui
MUMBAI/NASHIK: As multiple sexual harassment allegations arise at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)’s Nashik unit, investigators are now focusing on a critical question: What happened to repeated internal complaints, and who failed to act on them?At the center of the investigation is the company’s internal grievance mechanism under the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) framework.
Emails, chats, and an ignored trail
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has uncovered a series of emails and digital messages that, according to prosecutors, show a pattern of complaints being escalated internally.Public prosecutor Kiran Bendbhar informed a Nashik court that a senior manager regularly emailed an Assistant General Manager (AGM), who is also part of the POSH committee, highlighting allegations against two employees accused of sexual harassment.Investigators have seized 78 emails and chat records from the AGM’s devices. They are now being reviewed in her presence to determine whether proper procedures were followed or deliberately ignored.
“Let it go”
The SIT’s report raises serious questions about how complaints were managed. Although the complainant directly approached the AGM, she is said to have discouraged her from pursuing the issue.“Why do you want to get highlighted? Let it go. Leave it,” she reportedly told the complainant.Investigators think these responses may have encouraged the accused, allowing the misconduct to continue.Call detail records have also contributed to the investigation. Assistant public prosecutor Aniket Avhand informed the court that the AGM had 38 calls with one accused and additional contact with another, raising concerns about possible complicity or conflicts of interest.
HR response
The investigation has also grown to look into the role of HR personnel and whether complaints were downplayed or normalized. In one case, a complainant said that an HR official told her to “stay cool,” implying that certain behaviors were “common in MNCs.”These claims have led authorities to examine whether TCS’s internal committee operated in line with the POSH Act, which requires timely inquiries and actions on workplace harassment complaints.Nashik district collector Ayush Prasad has ordered a parallel review into the company’s compliance with these legal requirements.
Arrests and expanding probe
To date, seven employees have been arrested. They face charges ranging from sexual harassment to sexual exploitation under the pretense of marriage, along with claims of hurting religious sentiments. A seventh accused remains at large.The first FIR was filed on March 26 at Devlali Camp police station, with additional cases registered at Mumbai Naka police station. All arrested individuals are currently in judicial custody at Nashik Road Central Prison.The AGM, arrested in Pune on April 10, is in police custody, which a court has extended until April 15.
Company response
In response to the scandal, N Chandrasekaran, chairman of Tata Sons and TCS, called the allegations “gravely concerning and anguishing.”He stated that an internal investigation led by COO Aarthi Subramanian is underway to “establish facts and identify all individuals responsible,” reaffirming the company’s zero-tolerance policy.TCS has suspended the employees named in the case and stated it is fully cooperating with law enforcement, promising “strict action” based on the findings.As the criminal investigation continues, the case has revealed potential flaws in corporate compliance systems, particularly in handling sensitive complaints.
