In a latest development, a fifth employee at the Nashik branch of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has accused her colleagues of inappropriate touching, stalking, and making derogatory remarks on Hindu gods, according to a police statement accessed by India Today.
The disturbing allegations add to the growing list of complaints from the TCS Nashik BPO centre, where a major scandal involving sexual abuse, harassment, and forced religious conversion has already prompted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe.
The Victim’s Ordeal
| Joined TCS Nashik | July 12, 2024 |
| Duration of Harassment | Approximately 1.5 years |
| Role | Associate (tele-calling bank credit card defaulters) |
| Shift Timings | 8:00 am – 5:00 pm or 9:00 am – 6:00 pm |
Specific Allegations
| Sexual Comments | During training (September 2024), accused asked “Do you prefer small or big?” while staring at her chest |
| Body Shaming | Pattern of body shaming and inappropriate staring |
| Inappropriate Touching | Accused touched her inappropriately under pretext of “helping with work”; unwanted touching at feet and chest |
| Stalking | Persistent stalking behavior |
| Religious Harassment | Accused questioned her religious beliefs, mocked deities and religious narratives |
| Physical Assault | Another victim was allegedly physically assaulted with a fan |
Toxic Work Environment
As per investigators, the environment at the TCS BPO office was toxic and unsafe:
- Senior-level officials allegedly involved in protecting accused employees
- Oral complaints about harassment, misconduct, and punctuality issues were ignored
- Victims were discouraged from escalating complaints
TCS Response
| Internal Investigation | Initiated, supported by external experts (Deloitte, Trilegal) |
| Investigation Lead | Aarthi Subramanian (President and COO, TCS) |
| Oversight Committee | Chaired by Keki Mistry (Independent Director) |
| Nashik Unit Status | Operational; media reports of shutdown “absolutely untrue” |
TCS CEO K Krithivasan said that the company has “engaged the services of expert teams from Deloitte and a prominent law firm, Trilegal, as independent counsel to the internal investigation led by Ms. Aarthi Subramanian, President and COO, TCS.”
He added that the company has also constituted an Oversight Committee, chaired by Keki Mistry, who serves as an Independent Director.
Clarification on Nida Khan
Addressing media reports, Krithivasan reiterated: “Ms. Nida Khan, who is being repeatedly mentioned in the press as HR manager of TCS, is neither a HR manager nor responsible for recruitment. She served as a process associate and did not hold any leadership responsibilities.”
Current Status
The company’s Nashik unit is operational and continues to serve clients, with the internal investigation ongoing.
