'Will Submit Report After Talking With All Stakeholders, Matter is Sensitive': Fact Finding Committee Member on Nashik TCS Case

Nashik: A fact-finding committee continued its inquiry on Sunday, for the second day into the alleged religious conversion and sexual harassment case linked to the Tata Consultancy Services Nashik office, and met with victims and their families, Advocate Monika Arora, who is a member of the four-member panel said.

Arora said that the "matter is sensitive" and "revealing in nature," so they will submit a report after talking to all the stakeholders. 

Speaking to ANI, advocate Arora said, “We have met with the victims and will meet today as well...will talk to other stakeholders. After these meetings, we will submit a report on it.” 

The fact-finding panel constituted by the National Commission for Women (NCW) comprises a retired judge, a retired IPS officer, an advocate, and a coordinator from the NCW. 

Arora said that the process of meeting with all stakeholders would take the necessary time, as the case is sensitive and revealing in nature. She added, “The matter is very sensitive and we would submit the report after talking to all the stakeholders.” 

The Fact Finding Committee began its inquiry yesterday into the alleged religious conversion case linked to the TCS office in Nashik. 

Arora told ANI, “We have come for an inquiry into the episode of TCS. And we are going to talk to all the stakeholders. It's not possible for us to say anything right now because we will meet all the stakeholders and talk to them, and whatever truth comes out, based on that, we are going to make a recommendation and a report. The committee has a retired judge, a retired IPS officer, and an advocate and a coordinator from NCW. There are four people.” 

The panel's visit comes amid protests by Bajrang Dal members outside the District Collector's Office demanding action over the allegations.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis yesterda chaired a review meeting of the Home Department, saying that religious conversion cases would not be tolerated under any circumstances. 

During the meeting, the status of investigations into the conversion case was assessed, and several key directives were issued to the Police Department. 

The Director General of Police, the Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department, the Head of the SIT, and senior police officials were present at the meeting. 

Fadnavis said, “Cases involving religious conversion would not be tolerated under any circumstances. While the Nashik Police were commended for unearthing this case themselves, they were directed to now pursue the investigation with equal vigour. Instructions were issued to conduct a thorough examination of all potential angles and patterns.” 

A total of nine cases have been registered, with one case filed at Deolali camp police station and eight others at Mumbai Naka in connection with the case. 

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on April 17 took custody of two accused, Safi Shaikh and Raza Memon, in the alleged forced conversion case linked to Nashik Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). The ATS is currently interrogating the accused in connection with the alleged forced conversion case linked to Nashik TCS.

Earlier, K Krithivasan, CEO and MD, TCS, said that the company has engaged the services of expert teams from Deloitte and a prominent law firm Trilegal as independent counsel to the internal investigation led by Aarthi Subramanian, President and COO, TCS. The TCS CEO said a committee chaired by Keki Mistry, Independent Director, has also been constituted.

TCS said its unit in Nashik continues to operate and serve its clients. The company said that while detailed reviews are still underway, a preliminary review of the systems and records pertaining to the Nashik unit indicates that they had not received any complaints of the nature that are being alleged on either its ethics or POSH channels. 

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