'Send Your Wife To Me': TCS Nashik Employee Makes Explosive Claim Amid Conversion Row; Says He Was Forced To Perform Religious Rituals

New Delhi: Amid conversion row, a male employee at the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) Nashik has claimed that an accused individual made a highly offensive and personal comment, suggesting he should "send his wife" if he desired a child, despite the fact that he was already seeking medical care, as per reports.

Notably, this specific claim underscores a broader, more disturbing series of allegations involving systematic harassment and forced religious practices at the office.

According to the report, the harassment reportedly started in 2022 shortly after he was hired, and involved being pressured to participate in religious practices against his wishes.

Forced Conversion, Workplace Abuse

The employee further alleged that his team leaders compelled him to adopt religious attire, such as a skullcap, and forced him to recite the kalma and offer namaz.

According to his statement, the mistreatment exceeded typical workplace harassment, evolving into the coercion of his personal beliefs and interference in his private affairs.

The employee named team leader Tausif Akhtar and colleague Danish Sheikh among those who allegedly targeted him.

Leveraging his professional authority, Akhtar allegedly assigned the employee an unreasonable workload and redirected others' tasks to him, aiming to break his will and ensure his submission, stated reports.

Akhtar and Sheikh were previously cited in a separate police report (FIR) lodged by a 23-year-old colleague, who accused Danish Sheikh of trying to kiss her by force and pressuring her into marriage.

The report also noted her allegations that Sheikh's associates, including Akhtar and an HR executive named Nida Khan, insulted Hindu deities and tried to manipulate her religious convictions.

Woman employee alleges harassment

Furthermore, a female employee alleged that she was subjected to isolation and relocated to a rooftop workspace and during this time, her personal property and phone were reportedly seized, as per news report.

“I was made to work alone on the rooftop, and my phone and bag were confiscated," she was quoted as saying, adding that whenever she came downstairs, her belongings were taken away “under the pretext of security or other excuses."

The employee asserted that female staff between the ages of 20 and 25 were viewed as "soft targets" for exploitation or harassment.

“They thought that it would be easy to trap them. If you have any complaints, then you go to your HR. But here, even the HR was scared," she said, urging women to speak up against what she described as a “dark culture" in offices.

According to a contract worker, employees were allegedly encouraged to date Hindu women specifically to alter their religious convictions.

“They used to say, ‘Go make Hindu girls your girlfriends and marry them’.

They used to say ‘convert your religion’ and used to talk about their religion.

They were also given money," the contractual employee claimed.

'Not escalated'

According to reports from ANI, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has discovered that internal complaints from victims were reportedly blocked from reaching senior management. Investigators have labeled HR Manager Nida Khan as the primary orchestrator of this cover-up, alleging that she used her position on the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) Committee to protect the accused and silence the victims.

The investigation has progressed significantly, with authorities uncovering approximately 78 suspicious digital trails- including calls, emails, and messages- while also looking into potential financial motives. By analyzing these communications, the SIT is working to prove that the accused individuals were acting in collusion.

Furthermore, police sources indicate that an Assistant General Manager at the Nashik office allegedly stayed in contact with one of the suspects even after criminal charges were filed. To date, nine separate cases have been documented, one involving a male staffer, with eight cases filed at the Mumbai Naka police station and one at Deolali Camp.

Several accused individuals, including Danish Sheikh and others, are currently lodged in Nashik Road Jail.

Chandrasekaran orders probe

Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran has ordered an internal investigation, stating that the allegations are being treated with the “utmost seriousness" and reiterating that the group maintains a “zero-tolerance policy towards any form of coercion or misconduct."

Authorities said the alleged incidents are believed to have taken place between 2022 and 2026, and the investigation remains ongoing.

Work from home

As the TCS 'conversion' case deepens, the Tata-owned IT giant at Nashik has now temporarily asked its current employees not to come on-site. Moreover, reports indicate that new recruits have also been asked not to join at the site.

According to the IT Forum Head, the TCS Nashik has almost decided to shut down the unit. However, efforts are on, not to let TCS move out of Nashik.

Also Read: Parliament Convenes For Stormy Three-Day Session: Rows Over Delimitation, Women’s Quota Bills Take Centre Stage