Nashik: Undercover cops expose sexual harassment at IT firm, 7, including HR held
Nine cases have been registered against six employees of the firm, including team leaders, while the seventh arrest involves a female HR employee
Nashik Police have arrested seven employees of an IT firm on charges of sexual harassment and hurting religious sentiments on Friday (April 10).
The arrests followed a covert operation in which seven women police officers entered the multinational company in disguise and allegedly witnessed inappropriate behaviour towards female employees, leading to the key accused being caught red-handed.
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Nine cases have been registered against six employees of the firm, including team leaders, while the seventh arrest involves a female HR employee. Of the nine cases, eight were filed by women, while the latest complaint was lodged by a male colleague on charges of hurting religious sentiments. The firm reportedly employs around 300 people.
Charges against accused
According to NDTV, the cases have been filed since July 2022. The accused — Danish Sheikh, Tausif Attar, Nida Khan, Raza Memon, Shahrukh Qureshi, and Shafi Sheikh — face charges including sexual harassment, repeated physical relations on the promise of marriage, attempted religious conversion, and religious insults. Allegations also include employees being forced to perform namaz and consume non-vegetarian food.
The firm’s head officer has also come under scrutiny for allegedly encouraging the accused instead of taking action.
Police are currently examining over 40 CCTV footage recordings to gather evidence.
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The incidents came to light after several employees, mostly women aged between 18 and 25, filed complaints over the past four years alleging sexual harassment and religious harassment.
“When the complainant repeatedly lodged verbal complaints regarding these incidents with the company's head officer, he failed to take cognisance of her complaints regarding the molestation; instead, he effectively abetted their actions,” police said in a statement.
Police custody
One accused in a rape case has been sent to Nashik Road Central Prison under judicial custody, while the remaining five accused are in police custody.
The seventh individual, a woman associated with the HR department, has been arrested for failing to act in accordance with regulations under the Prevention of Sexual Harassment framework.
In India, the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 mandates that every firm with more than 10 employees must have an Internal Committee (IC) to address complaints.
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A Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by ACP (Crime) Sandeep Mitke, has been constituted on the instructions of Police Commissioner Sandeep Karnik to probe the cases, an official said. The team is also examining the possibility of a larger organised racket operating similarly.
Nashik Police have also released a dedicated WhatsApp helpline (9923323311) and urged women to report complaints via the emergency control room number (112).