TCS says Nida Khan wasn’t responsible for recruitment and ‘no POSH complaints were received’

In a detailed statement, Krithivasan also clarified that the unit remains operational and continues to serve clients, while simultaneously announcing a high-level probe into the matter.

Krithivasan added that while detailed reviews are still underway, a preliminary review of the systems and records pertaining to the Nashik unit indicates that the company has “not received” any complaints of the nature that are being alleged on either their ethics or POSH channels.

The ‘New’ Investigation: Deloitte and Keki Mistry Step In

To ensure a transparent and “thorough” investigation, the IT major has brought Deloitte and the prominent law firm Trilegal to provide independent counsel for the internal investigation. The probe is being spearheaded by Ms. Aarthi Subramanian, President and COO of TCS.

In a step to further boost the internal investigation, the company has also announced the formation of a dedicated Oversight Committee that will be chaired by Mr. Keki Mistry, an Independent Director at TCS. This committee will review all findings and oversee the implementation of recommendations.

Notably, the CEO also clarified that Nida Khan, a name frequently cited in media reports as a “Human Resources Manager,” who helped facilitate the alleged ‘abuse and harassment’ faced by the workers was actually a process associate with no leadership or recruitment responsibilities.

What is the TCS Nashik case all about?

The crisis at the Nashik branch first came to light after a female employee filed an FIR with a city police stating sexual harassment. She alleged that a colleague had deceived her with promises of marriage, only to sexually exploit and harass her repeatedly over time.

The worker’s complaint had led to an initial probe by the city police which led to more TCS workers coming forward with a range of complaints spanning from February 2022 to March 2026.

After more workers came forward, a total of 8 FIRs were registered with the city police under charges of religious conversion and sexual harassment. Following this development, the situation had escalated into a big episode uncovering ‘toxic practices’ that took place at TCS Nashik involving a Special Investigation Team (SIT).

Following the initial investigation, six to seven employees, including team leaders and HR personnel, were taken into custody. As per reports the allegations levied against the arrested personnel included mental harassment, stalking, religious coercion (forcing employees to offer namaz or consume food against beliefs), and attempts at forced conversion.

Nida Khan’s lawyer says she’s only accused of hurting religious sentiments

Advocate Baba Sayyad, representing Nida Khan in the Nashik TCS case, stated that there were no allegations of religious conversion or harassment against his client. He also clarified that Nida Khan was not an HR Manager at TCS, but instead worked as a process associate.

“The first complaint included sections dealing with offences of rape and hurting religious sentiments. Danish Sheikh has been made the main accused, and Nida Khan and Attar are co-accused. Police investigation revealed that other illegal activities and eight FIRs were filed.”
“FIR doesn’t mention forceful religious conversion, only a complaint of hurting religious sentiments. Two accused are under police custody. Their custody will end tomorrow (Saturday),” he told ANI.

When asked about Nida Khan being called the ‘mastermind,’ he said, “Don’t know why she is being called the mastermind. She has been named in one FIR, and the only allegation against her is of hurting religious sentiments. We will file an application in the Sessions Court in a couple of days. Nida Khan was not the HR; she was a process associate. The word ‘Jihad’ is a political term. FIR mentions nothing, and these words have no value in the court.”

Specific BNS Charges Levied

The authorities have invoked stringent sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against the accused:

Section 69: Rape (deceitful promise of marriage).

Section 75: Sexual harassment.

Section 299: Deliberate acts to outrage religious feelings.

Sections 78 & 79: Stalking and outraging modesty.

Internal Compliance Under Fire

Despite the severity of the police findings, TCS’s preliminary internal review has highlighted a significant “compliance gap”. The company stated that its systems and records indicate they had not received any prior complaints of this nature through their formal ethics or POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) channels.

This discrepancy has drawn sharp criticism from the Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES), which has approached the Ministry of Labour and Employment for a comprehensive POSH audit of the company.

Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran has expressed his “anguish” over the incidents, reinforcing a zero-tolerance policy. While the Nashik branch is not shutting down, the company is now under pressure to publicly explain why its internal safeguards failed to detect four years of alleged systemic abuse before the police intervened.

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has asked its employees at its Nashik branch to work from home as a precautionary measure for their safety amid the religious conversion and harassment claims.

During the investigation, Police officials recovered approximately 78 ‘suspicious’ call records, emails and chats exchanged between the accused. The police have found evidence of potential financial transactions, too.