TCS Nashik case: Tata group orders investigation by senior executive
'Allegations of harassment from the branch are gravely concerning and anguishing,' says Tata Sons chairman
N Chandrasekaran, the chairman of Tata Sons, on Monday called the allegations of sexual harassment at TCS Nashik "gravely concerning and anguishing" and announced that a senior executive would be looking into the situation.
"The complaints and allegations emerging from the Nashik branch of Tata Consultancy Services have been gravely concerning and anguishing," Chandrasekaran said.
Additionally, he announced that TCS Chief Operating Officer Arathi Subramanian is conducting an in-depth investigation to find out the facts and identify those accountable for the incident. Eight female employees at the multinational corporation's Nashik headquarters in Maharashtra have accused the company of forced religious conversion and sexual harassment.
"This incident is being treated with utmost seriousness. Action has already been initiated against the accused employees, and the company is extending its full cooperation to the ongoing investigations," Chandrasekaran, who was leading TCS as its chief executive and managing director before his appointment as the group chairman, said.
He went on to say that the salts-to-software department has a "zero-tolerance policy" for any kind of staff misconduct or coercion. He said that process enhancements or other remedial measures will be immediately put into place and firmly enforced, and that individuals found guilty in the probe will face appropriate and severe punishment.
Police established a special investigation team (SIT) last week to look into eight employees' reports that they were sexually and mentally harassed by senior co-workers and that the human resources department ignored them. Seven persons, including the company's female HR manager, have since been taken into custody by the police.
"TCS has a long-standing zero-tolerance policy towards harassment and coercion of any form. We have always ensured the highest standards of safety and well-being of our employees at the workplace. As soon as we were made aware of the matter in Nashik, we took swift action," it had said.
