TCS Row: Who Is Nida Khan? HR Manager Arrested Of Brainwashing Women Employees, Pushing Religious Conversion

Nashik: A shocking case of alleged sexual harassment, forced religious conversion and exploitation of women at the BPO unit of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in Nashik, Maharashtra by their team leaders, an SIT probe has identified Nida Khan, an HR manager as its mastermind.

How many are arrested in the case?

Following a 40-day undercover police investigation, nine FIRs have been filed, leading to the arrests of several individuals, including six team leaders and an HR department official. Nida Khan, the Nashik unit's human resources (HR) manager, has been named as the main accused in the case.

The employees have accused of sexual  sexual exploitation under the pretext of marriage, sexual harassment, and outraging the modesty of women. 

Who is Nida Khan?

Nida Khan is an alumna of Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU). She held a managerial HR position at the Nashik TCS BPO unit and was also a member of the company's Internal Grievance Redressal Committee (ICC).

Her responsibilities included handling employee complaints, ensuring workplace safety, and enforcing protocols mandated under the POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) Act. 

What are the allegations?

According to reports, the victim women (mostly girls aged 18-25 years) have alleged that the team leaders (Asif Ansari, Tausif Attar, Danish Shaikh, Raza Memon, Shahrukh Qureshi, Shafi Shaikh etc.) lured them with the promise of better salary, promotion or job.

Subsequently, there have been allegations of pressure to have sex, blackmail, and in some cases, even rape. They have also been accused of being forced to pray, fast, eat meat, and even convert to Islam.

What is the main allegations against Nida Khan?

• Repeated complaints from victims (including 78 emails and chats) were ignored.
• The complaints were not forwarded to higher authorities.
• Despite being a member of the POSH committee, no action was taken.

Some victims said that Nida Khan, while responding to the complaints, said that such things are common in corporates. Investigators have described her as the mastermind or main conspirator who played a role in suppressing the complaint and protecting the accused male employees.