Not only has Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis released a powerful statement on the investigation into harassment and forced conversion at the Nashik branch of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), he also said the probe will “bust the entire module” behind alleged crimes.
The case has also attracted attention in the country and extended beyond workplace harassment and coercion as well as conversion based on religious beliefs. Fadnavis echoed this to the media, saying this is a serious matter for the Maharashtra government and that no one involved can absolve themselves in this matter.
“We will not spare anyone. The entire module behind this will be exposed and dismantled,” Fadnavis added, adding that there are other names within this investigation and could expand to a much larger network. An investigation has also resulted in the creation of the Special Investigation Team (SIT), formed by the Nashik police.
The SIT is reviewing allegations filed by women employees of sexual harassment and exploitation under false promises, workplace misconduct and the practice of coercion. Certain people who were already facing charges against them were arrested, while others appear to be absconding.
Internal company processes will also be scrutinised as a source of information if employee complaints were not taken seriously. Fadnavis said this would be investigated transparently and within a time frame. Never, he added, should the safety and dignity of employees be broached in a ‘progressive’ society.
This has been criticised after decades of public debate regarding corporate responsibility and mechanisms to protect employees. There are questions of whether enough safeguards were in place and if the company’s internal systems responded sufficiently to complaints.
As some began to take notice, TCS has most recently renewed its support for zero tolerance in dealing with harassment and misconduct. The company said it is cooperating with law enforcement authorities in all areas and has launched an internal investigation of the allegations. There are now also political dimensions to a case where leaders everywhere were calling for tighter enforcement and accountability.
Fadnavis's statement is considered evidence that the state government wants to go after it. If any organised network or "module" is revealed by the SIT, according to legal experts, there may lie a lot more work to be done in this case than originally seemed possible and hence more charges.
The investigation is more nuanced and will increasingly examine how authorities deal with accusations, some of which are nuanced, some of which are hard to pinpoint, and whether systemic issues at work are dealt with. “No doubt,” Fadnavis says, “the government wants to send a significant and unequivocal message when it comes to not only noise exploitation but even the worst forms of exploitation, reiterating the question of the safety of employees and justice for heavy law enforcement once again.”
