The police have filed 9 FIRs in relation to allegations of sexual harassment, attempted religious conversion, and workplace misconduct in relation to the escalating controversy surrounding TCS BPO in Nashik. According to investigators, the offenders seemed to target employees in a planned manner. A senior officer revealed that the inquiry has shown that 7 male staff members reportedly targeted the victims “like an organised gang.” A male had also cited harassment and an effort at religious conversion alongside the Hindu women.
“Nine FIRs have been registered in Nashik involving allegations of attempted religious conversion, sexual harassment, and religious harassment at the workplace. The accused-nine in total, including seven men and two women-held positions of authority such as team leaders and allegedly misused their roles to harass co-workers,” informed Nashik police commissioner Sandeep Karnik.
The perpetrators are identified as Danish Sheikh, Tausif Attar, Raza Memon, Shahrukh Qureshi, Shafi Sheikh, Asif Aftab Ansar and Shahrukh Sheikh. Karnik clarified the roles of the two women involved in the case, informing that one of them is on the run while the other, an operations and HR head, was captured for dissuading a victim from making a complaint. According to authorities, she informed the complainant, “These things happen,” and stood by the accused.
A Nashik court has sent the arrested female manager to judicial custody till 28th April. Karnik stated that probes were underway and agencies including SID, ATS and NIA had been notified in response to suspicions about potential ties to extremist organisations or foreign funding. He conveyed, “As and when we get some evidence, we will be able to come to a conclusion about the same.” He indicated that the perpetrators popped up in several cases, implying a pattern of coordinated offences.
“One female accused is named in a single case of religious harassment, while another, an HR head, is accused of discouraging a victim from filing a complaint. Police are conducting a thorough investigation and have contacted agencies like the SID, ATS, and NIA to examine any possible wider links. Initially, the first complainant was hesitant, but after receiving support and counselling from the police, more victims came forward, leading to multiple FIRs being registered,” the top cop highlighted.
He added, “A woman DCP and some female police personnel were sent to the office to conduct an inquiry. When they interacted with the staff and tried to counsel everyone, the other complainants came forward.”
The chairman of Tata Sons, N Chandrasekaran, described sexual harassment as “gravely concerning and anguishing” and declared that TCS’s Chief Operating Officer, Arathi Subramanian, is conducting an extensive inquiry to determine the truth and find out those at fault.
