SIT Formed to Probe Allegations of Sexual Assault and Forced Religious Conversion at TCS Nashik; Seven Employees Arrested

A contractual employee at the Nashik office informed NDTV that the accused actively pressured peers to target and marry Hindu women, allegedly stating, "Go make Hindu girls your girlfriends and marry them," while aggressively promoting their religion and demanding conversions. The witness further alleged that financial incentives were provided for these activities, which have reportedly been ongoing since 2021, and claimed that the "HR madam" was also funded to facilitate these operations. Last week, the police constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe complaints filed by eight women employees who alleged that senior colleagues subjected them to mental and sexual harassment between February 2022 and March 2026, while the human resources department systematically ignored their grievances.

Specific police statements detail harrowing accounts of molestation, inappropriate touching, and shameful remarks regarding the victims' personal and marital lives. The authorities noted that when a complainant repeatedly lodged verbal reports with the company's head officer, he failed to take cognizance of the molestation and instead effectively abetted the actions of the accused. Victims were also subjected to obscene remarks regarding their physical appearance. Beyond the harassment of female staff, the police revealed that the accused forced a male employee to perform Namaz and insulted his religion. When female employees sought help from the company’s woman HR manager, Nida Khan—dubbed the "lady captain"—they were allegedly met with threats of termination. Khan reportedly befriended women to make them comfortable before gradually training them to offer Namaz and wear the hijab.

While the parents of accused Raza Memon have rejected the allegations, with his mother telling NDTV that he is innocent and being framed, TCS has asserted a zero-tolerance policy regarding the matter. In an official statement, the IT giant declared that it has always ensured the highest standards of safety and that swift action was taken as soon as the company was made aware of the Nashik case. On Monday, Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran characterized the allegations as "gravely concerning and anguishing," announcing a thorough internal investigation led by TCS Chief Operating Officer Arathi Subramanian to establish facts and identify those responsible. This scandal has sent shockwaves through the corporate sector, highlighting a massive failure in internal grievance mechanisms and sparking a high-stakes legal battle to ensure workplace safety and religious freedom.