She joined the Nashik branch of Tata Consultancy Services as an associate in July 2024. Little did she know that, during her time at the office, she would be subjected to ridicule over her gods, her body shape and size.
But it didn’t stop there. One day, one of the arrested accused, Shafi Sheikh, sat next to her and began rubbing his feet against hers. He then went on to touch her private parts on the pretext of using the keypad next to her. Shocked, she moved away. Shafi smiled weakly, rolled his eyes, and left.
She is one of more than a dozen women who have filed complaints alleging sexual harassment in the workplace and forced religious conversion and is the fifth survivor to come forward. Nine FIRs have been registered based on the survivors’ complaints.
The survivor alleged that the workplace environment at the Nashik centre had become “scary”, adding that a group of accused employees operated with impunity and were shielded by senior officials.
She further alleged that senior-level officials, including the Assistant General Manager for Operations, discouraged employees from escalating complaints, effectively protecting the accused.
The survivor claimed that she was subjected to inappropriate touching, while also being targeted with remarks about her gods and goddesses, including statements questioning religious beliefs and characterising deities in a derogatory manner.
Detailing her background, the survivor stated that she has been employed as an Associate at the TCS Nashik branch since July 12, 2024.
At present, she works in a team handling tele-calling operations for bank credit card holders with outstanding dues.
She recalled that the harassment began as early as September 2024 during a training session. She alleged that another arrested accused Asif Ansari stood in front of her without provocation, stared at her chest and made a sexually suggestive remark. Feeling humiliated, she walked away.
She further claimed that Ansari, along with co-accused, Tausif Attar, would frequently stare at her body and pass inappropriate comments about her appearance.
However, the survivor also alleged that the harassment was not just limited to physical misconduct.
In February 2026, she claimed that Attar made derogatory remarks about Hindu religious texts and deities. According to her statement, he approached her and said he had also read the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.
She alleged that he then went on to question how many wives a God had, how a God could not know about his own child, and made other such derogatory remarks.
Summing up her ordeal, the survivor stated that between September 2024 and February 2026, multiple accused employees — including Asif Ansari and Shafi Sheikh — made obscene comments about her body and engaged in behaviour that caused her shame and distress.
So far, eight arrests have been made, including a woman and now-suspended operations manager Ashwini Chainani. The ninth accused, Nida Khan, a telecaller who has also been suspended, is in Mumbai. She has applied for interim anticipatory bail, which the court has denied.
Last week, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) said it had not received any complaints through its ethics or Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) channels from employees at its Nashik BPO unit between 2022 and 2026 — the period during which these incidents allegedly occurred.
However, investigators told India Today that despite multiple oral complaints — ranging from misbehaviour and lack of punctuality to even physical assault on another employee — the accused continued their conduct without fear of action.
– Ends
Published By:
Sayan Ganguly
Published On:
Apr 22, 2026 08:01 IST
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