Infosys issues statement on Pune harassment allegations; Investigation increased after Nashik TCS case. pune news
Pune: IT major Infosys on Wednesday responded formally to social media allegations of workplace harassment at its business process management (BPM) facility in Pune.The clarification comes at a time when Maharashtra’s IT industry is under greater scrutiny following a separate criminal investigation into Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in Nashik, which included allegations of workplace harassment and forced conversion. The controversy surrounding Infosys emerged after a series of posts on social media platform X alleging inappropriate behavior towards women employees in Pune. Although the posts were later removed, Maharashtra minister Nitish Rane confirmed that the government had taken note of the claims, according to news agency ANI.“Infosys takes a zero-tolerance approach towards any form of harassment or discrimination. Any issues reported are taken seriously and investigated by an independent committee. We encourage a ‘speak-up’ culture for employees to report any concerns,” the official statement said. The company said it has activated its internal processes and multi-channel preventive programs to investigate the matter in line with its global code of conduct.“Any issue reported is taken seriously and investigated by an independent committee in accordance with our robust processes. Additionally, we have active multi-channel preventative programs in place, including a ‘speak-up’ culture that encourages employees to report any concerns,” the statement said. More details on the specific allegations and the status of any investigation are awaited. It has also been revealed that the person who initially made the claims has later deleted the posts. The development comes in the backdrop of the Nashik TCS case, where several women employees were allegedly subjected to workplace harassment by senior employees between 2022 and 2026. Nine cases have been registered so far – one at Deolali Camp police station and eight at Mumbai Naka police station. The complaints also include a complaint by a male employee alleging harassment, torture and forced religious conversion. The case began with a complaint by a female employee who alleged that a colleague had relations with her on the pretext of marriage. As the investigation progressed, seven more women came forward with similar allegations, which further escalated the matter. The complaints detail allegations of sexual harassment, inappropriate touching, objectionable comments, stalking and mental harassment at the workplace. Some complainants also alleged pressure to adopt certain religious practices or to convert. Those arrested in the case include Asif Ansari, Shafi Shaikh, Shahrukh Qureshi, Raza Memon and Tausif Attar. Another employee has also been detained. The investigators have examined over 40 CCTV footage clips and are recording the statements of both the complainants and the accused. A covert operation involving women police personnel was also conducted to nab one of the accused. Additionally, one of the accused, Ashwini Chainani, operations manager of the company, has been sent to 14-day judicial custody. The investigation is ongoing, officials said, adding that all aspects are being thoroughly examined before reaching any conclusion.
