A major controversy has erupted around Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and its BPO unit in Nashik district of Maharashtra after multiple employees came forward alleging targeted religious manipulation, grooming, and attempted conversion within the office premises. The allegations, which have surfaced through a series of police complaints, have raised serious concerns about workplace safety and the possibility of organised misconduct within a corporate environment.
As many as nine victims, including one male complainant, have come forward with allegations ranging from harassment, coercion, abuse, threats, and even sexual exploitation. As of now, nine FIRs have been registered in connection with the case. According to available information, several accused have been arrested, while one accused remains at large.
The details emerging from the testimonies have stunned many. While sections of the mainstream media are yet to fully acknowledge the nature and scale of the allegations, Organiser has been consistently reporting on the case and documenting the testimonies of the victims.
This report focuses on the testimony of a 23-year-old woman, identified as Deepika Vadnere (name changed, surname retained), who has alleged harassment, threats, and coercion within the workplace. She has also stated that the accused ridiculed Hindu gods and goddesses.
As per the First Information Report (FIR Number: 171/2026), registered at the Mumbai Naka Police Station on April 3, the complainant detailed her experiences while working at the TCS BPO office on Ashoka Marg, Nashik. Based on her complaint, the accused, namely: Raza Memon and Shahrukh Qureshi have been booked under sections 3(5), 74, 75 and 79 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
In her statement, she told the police, “My work is done by calling the bank’s outstanding credit card loan holders through tele-call. The work is done from the department ODC 02..”
She went on to describe how the harassment began. “In January 2026, while I was in the office, Shahrukh Qureshi called me to his desk and, without looking at me, started asking me about my family, including whether I had a boyfriend? Is it an ex-boyfriend? I left there embarrassed after being asked questions about my private life in this way.”
According to her complaint, the incidents did not stop there. “After about 06 to 07 days, Raza Memon and Shahrukh Qureshi called me to Raza’s desk and asked me about my work. Raza said, ‘You are very thin, gym is still good, stay in shape.’ Raza also made obscene comments to me like, ‘Do you have a boyfriend? Do you have any relationship with anyone? Do you like anyone in the office? Did anyone meet you?’ At that time, Raza Memon looked at Shahrukh Qureshi and said, ‘Let’s get her ready for a man,’ and was behaving in an obscene manner with me.”
She further narrated an incident that took place on March 19, 2026, coinciding with the festival of Gudi Padwa. “On 19/03/2026, since it was Gudi Padwa, I had come wearing a new dress and leaving my hair loose. At that time, Raza Memon called me to his desk two to three times, but I ignored him because he always looked at me with a bad eye and asked obscene questions. But Raza Memon stood up and called me in front of everyone. I felt embarrassed and went to his desk.”
She added, “At that time, he said, ‘Don’t you perform puja on this day? Do you just get ready and come to the office?’ He was staring at me from top to bottom, which I felt was very insulting. Seeing Raza Memon looking at me strangely in this way, I left there in shame.”
The complainant also alleged that she was being constantly monitored and followed within the office. “Also, Shahrukh Qureshi, despite not having any work-related reason, would keep asking about the daily things I was doing in my private life, so I knew that he was keeping an eye on me.”
She further stated, “Shahrukh would see me alone from time to time and ask me to go for a walk with him since my parents were not here, which I did not like at all. I told Shahrukh about this, but he was not ready to listen. This caused me a lot of mental stress.”
According to her, fear and power dynamics within the workplace prevented her from reporting the matter earlier. “I wanted to complain about this in the company, but since Raza, Shahrukh, and Shafi were dominant in the company, I could not complain to anyone.”
Summarising her allegations, she stated, “However, from January 2026 to date 01/04/2026, while working in our office at TCS Company, Nashik, Raza Memon and Shahrukh Qureshi made obscene comments and gestures towards me. Without my consent, they repeatedly asked me about my private life and kept an eye on me. They made obscene comments about my body and behaved in a way that made me feel ashamed. Therefore, I have a legal complaint against Shahrukh Qureshi and Raza Memon.”
What initially appeared as an isolated complaint has now expanded into a series of legal actions, with as many as nine FIRs being registered between March 26 and April 3.
So far, Maharashtra Police have arrested several accused individuals identified as Danish Sheikh, Tausif Attar, Raza Memon, Shahrukh Qureshi, Asif Ansari, Shafi Sheikh, and Ashwini Chanani. Among those named, Nida Khan remains absconding, while the rest are in police custody.
Given the gravity and pattern of allegations, authorities have constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case in detail. Officials have indicated that the matter is not being treated as an isolated incident, but rather as a potentially organised pattern of misconduct that unfolded over a period of time.
In a significant development, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has also become part of the investigation. According to sources, investigators are also examining allegations that the accused were planning to send Hindu women to Malaysia, raising suspicions of a possible trafficking syndicate.
As the investigation progresses, more testimonies are expected to surface, potentially shedding further light on the scale and nature of the alleged activities within the Nashik TCS BPO setup.
