TCS Nashik case: CEO announces oversight panel, says ‘no POSH complaint found’

TCS Nashik case latest: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) CEO K Krithivasan has announced the formation of an oversight committee led by independent director Keki Mistry to review an investigation at its Nashik unit. The unit is under scrutiny due to allegations of sexual harassment and religious coercion.

Krithivasan stated that a preliminary examination of systems and records has not revealed any complaints of the alleged nature through its ethics or POSH channels. The company has suspended employees under investigation pending an inquiry.

“A preliminary review of the systems and records pertaining to the Nashik unit indicates that we have not received any complaints of the nature that are being alleged on either our ethics or POSH (prevention of sexual harassment) channels,” it said.

The company also clarified that Nida Khan, one of the employees named as an accused, is not an HR manager as mentioned in some reports. 

“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.”

Dismissing media reports suggesting that the TCS Nashik office is shut, TCS said that the facility continues to operate and serve clients. 

The statement further read, “TCS holds itself to the highest standards of employee welfare and institutional conduct. We remain fully committed to the safety, dignity, and well-being of every employee. As we have stated before, we have a zero-tolerance policy towards any form of coercion or misconduct. We are focused on supporting our employees and ensuring a safe and respectful workplace across all our locations.

Previously, TCS also expressed gratitude to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for his support in this matter. The company has committed to working with law enforcement and all authorities to ensure a transparent investigation, adhering to its zero-tolerance policies.

Meanwhile, a Nashik police Crime Branch team has arrived in Mumbra, Thane district, to track down a female accused in the case. The accused is linked to allegations of religious conversion and sexual harassment at the TCS Nashik unit.

The team questioned her husband on Friday, an official told news agency PTI. The police are pursuing leads in Mumbra, where the accused is believed to have been residing for the past two months. Despite efforts, the police have yet to locate her, as her and her relative’s mobile phones remain switched off, and their residence was found locked.

The Nashik police have formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe complaints lodged by eight female employees of TCS. These employees allege mental and sexual harassment by senior colleagues and claim that the human resources department ignored their complaints.

The SIT is investigating nine cases related to exploitation, attempted forceful conversion, and harassment at the TCS unit. TCS has reiterated its commitment to maintaining a safe workplace and has engaged expert teams from Deloitte and legal counsel Trilegal to advise the internal probe.