A major controversy has erupted at the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) BPO unit in Nashik after eight women employees came forward with allegations of sexual harassment, mental abuse, and attempts to force religious conversion. The complaints have led to the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT), with police registering multiple FIRs and arresting seven accused so far.
Among those arrested is a senior HR manager, Ashwini, who was also a member of the company’s Internal Committee under the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) framework, raising serious concerns about internal accountability mechanisms.
According to police, the complainants alleged that they were subjected to prolonged mental and sexual harassment by their senior colleagues. Despite repeated complaints, the HR department allegedly failed to act, allowing the alleged misconduct to continue over an extended period.
Investigators are probing at least nine FIRs linked to incidents spanning several months, with evidence suggesting a pattern of suppression or mishandling of complaints within the organisation.
The case has taken a more serious turn with allegations of religious coercion. Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan claimed that victims were allegedly pressured to offer namaz, consume beef, and were subjected to attempts at religious conversion.
He further suggested the possibility of a larger racket, stating that women may have been lured with job opportunities and later blackmailed using compromising photos and videos.
The investigation has expanded into digital and financial trails. Public prosecutor Kiran Bendbhar informed the court that crucial email exchanges between senior officials regarding harassment complaints are under scrutiny.
Police have seized at least 78 emails and chat records from official devices, which are being examined in detail. Authorities are also reviewing bank transactions to determine whether there were financial links or funding patterns connected to the alleged activities.
Additionally, call records, CCTV footage, and internal communication logs are being analysed to establish whether complaints were deliberately ignored or suppressed.
In a significant development, the case was partly uncovered through a covert police operation. Acting on a tip-off regarding unusual religious practices of an employee, police deployed constables, including women officers, disguised as housekeeping staff inside the office.
The undercover operation, conducted over nearly two weeks, reportedly revealed patterns of harassment, coercion, and attempts to influence employees’ religious practices. Based on these findings, the first FIR was registered at the Deolali police station in March.
One of the key accused involves an accused employee, Danish Shaikh, who entered into a relationship with a woman colleague on the false promise of marriage while concealing his marital status. He has been accused of rape and of influencing the victim’s religious practices.
Following initial arrests, further investigation into co-accused Tousif Attar’s phone reportedly revealed images that led to additional complaints, widening the scope of the probe.
Responding to the allegations, Tata Consultancy Services stated that it maintains a “zero-tolerance policy towards harassment and coercion of any form” and confirmed that all accused employees have been suspended pending investigation.
The case has sparked a larger debate on workplace safety, corporate accountability, and the effectiveness of internal complaint mechanisms in large organisations.
With multiple FIRs, digital evidence under review, and allegations of a possible organised network, the SIT probe is expected to uncover further details in the coming days.
