Serious allegations have emerged from a former employee of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), who has claimed that a group of staff at the company’s Nashik office engaged in sexual harassment and coercive behaviour, alongside alleged attempts at religious conversion.
Speaking to NDTV, the former employee alleged that certain team leaders misused their positions, creating a hostile work environment for women.
According to the account, female employees were allegedly summoned to team leaders’ desks and subjected to inappropriate and vulgar remarks.
The complainant further claimed that one of the key accused, Tausif Attar, frequently mocked Hindu religious practices.
She alleged that women were questioned about their attire during festivals and faced derogatory comments related to their beliefs.
The former employee also alleged that another colleague, Krishna, who earlier wore a Rudraksha, later converted to Islam.
She further stated that Nida Khan, one of the accused, was not an HR official but a process associate seeking a departmental transfer.
In a separate claim, the former employee alleged that staff were required to leave personal belongings such as phones and bags outside the office floor, which she suggested limited transparency.
She also named two employees, Danish and Raza, alleging that they booked hotel rooms and resorts and pressured young women colleagues to join them.
She described the overall workplace environment as toxic and said she felt safer after leaving the organisation.
The allegations come amid a broader probe involving multiple complaints from women employees at the Nashik branch.
According to police, nine cases of mental and sexual harassment have been registered based on complaints from eight women, covering the period between February 2022 and March 2026.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to probe the matter. So far, seven employees, including Danish Sheikh, Tausif Attar, Raza Memon, Shahrukh Qureshi, Shafi Sheikh, Asif Aftab Ansari, and Nida Khan, have been arrested. All have been suspended by TCS.
Authorities are also searching for another woman employee reportedly linked to the case who is currently missing.
Meanwhile, the case has taken a legal turn, with a petition filed in the Supreme Court seeking directions to curb alleged coercive religious conversions.
Filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay through advocate Ashwani Dubey, the plea claims that the incidents have raised serious concerns nationwide.
The investigation remains ongoing, with officials stating that all aspects of the allegations are being thoroughly examined.
