TCS Nashik row: Amid the controversy which the Nashik unit of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) recently landed in, following allegations of sexual harassment, religious conversion and workplace misconduct, the company has reportedly instructed its existing employees to refrain from coming to office temporarily. Meanwhile, the new recruits at the office have also been asked to postpone their joining dates.
Nashik unit may face shutdown, say sources
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Sources within the IT sector have weighed in, suggesting that the Nashik unit may be heading towards a potential shutdown, although efforts are on to prevent the company’s exit from the city. Notably, as many as seven arrests have been made in the case, with multiple FIRs registered and numerous bodies stepping in to probe the incident, including the National Commission for Women (NCW).
TCS Nashik row: Legal heat intensifies as Ops Manager remanded to judicial custody
The investigation, according to police, gained momentum after Ashwini Chanani, the Operations Manager at the TCS Nashik facility, was remanded to judicial custody following her arrest by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted to probe the case. Authorities are currently probing her role in the alleged failure to act on repeated complaints of harassment and exploitation within the workplace.
The investigating police personnel claimed that multiple grievances raised by female employees were ignored, giving tacit approval to the misconduct and keeping it unchecked for nearly four years. With Chanani now in judicial custody, all key accused in the case have transitioned from police as the probe advances into a crucial evidence-gathering phase.
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Absconding HR Manager Nida Khan seeks relief
Meanwhile, HR Manager Nida Khan, who remains absconding in the case, has reportedly reconnected with her legal team and is expected to file for anticipatory bail at a court in Nashik. She remains untraceable till now, and is said to have erased her digital presence, including social media accounts. The cops are persevering in efforts to search for her across locations like Bhiwandi and Mumbai. Furthermore, her alleged links to an accused in the Delhi Red Fort Blast case have also intensified the case’s sensitivity.
Kin of one accused calls case ‘scripted’
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In a dramatic development reported on Friday, a relative of one of the arrested accused has junked the allegations, calling the incident ‘minor’ and suggesting a broader conspiracy involving the Hindu outfit, ‘Bajrang Dal.’ The claims sharply contrast with the gravity of the accusations, which include sexual harassment and alleged attempts at forced religious conversions. Complaints from eight female employees working at the TCS Nashik unit are under investigation.
Also read: TCS Nashik Row reaches Supreme Court: Advocate files plea, flags ‘organised conversion’; calls for stricter curbs