NASHIK/NEW DELHI: For nearly a month, a group of undercover police personnel quietly worked inside a BPO unit of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in Nashik — posing as housekeeping staff, observing daily interactions, 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.The operation, launched in February following a tip-off about suspicious workplace conduct, became the foundation of a widening investigation that now includes allegations of sexual harassment, coercion, and attempts to influence religious practices.According to Nashik City Police, the complaint, raised in February 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 know
Undercover operation
Police deployed constables — including women officers — as housekeeping staff inside the unit for nearly two weeks, with some accounts indicating the covert surveillance extended over several weeks.Officers monitored interactions and reported back daily, with investigators later describing the operation as a “well-laid plan” that corroborated initial inputs.Based on findings, the first FIR was registered at Deolali police station in March. The complainant accused a colleague, Danish Shaikh, 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, Danish Shaikh and Tousif Attar followed. Investigators said a phone scan of Attar revealed images of another Hindu employee in Muslim attire, which led to further questioning and additional complaints.
9 FIRs
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 HR official have been arrested, while another accused, identified as Nida Khan, 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 (HR), 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.A 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.“One of the accused became more religious after a visit two years ago and began influencing colleagues, who in turn influenced others. There is no indication of external funding or organised conversion activity,” an officer involved in the probe said.
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)
