Central agencies probes PFI links in TCS Nashik religious coercion
Central agencies involved in the probe have found footprints of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) in the Nashik TCS case. PFI has been accused by agencies like NIA of promoting radicalisation through ‘love jihad’.
The alleged pattern, as per the PFI’s vision document 2047, coaxes Muslim employees in supervisory roles, systematically targeting young Hindu women with a mix of sexual pressure, emotional manipulation and Dawah-style religious persuasion.
In the TCS Nashik scandal, the same pattern has tell-tale signs of the grooming of Hindu women. WhatsApp groups and coordinated behaviour inside the office suggest deep planning, not isolated misconduct. PFI is a banned Islamist organisation (proscribed in 2022) accused by agencies like NIA of promoting radicalisation, ‘Love Jihad’(targeted interfaith relationships for conversion), grooming and using influential positions or networks for religious conversion and extremism.
Investigators found references to a Malaysia-linked preacher named Imran, aka Irman, in reports, who was allegedly introduced to victims and employees via video calls for religious talks. Malaysia has been cited in some radicalisation probes before, and this has widened the case into a possible international/networked activity.
Nashik Police have shared the SIT report with central agencies NIA, Maharashtra ATS and IB to check for a larger pan-India or networked conspiracy. Some reports say the NIA may probe it, or it has become part of the investigation.
Meanwhile, the Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by ACP (Crime) Sandeep Mitke under the direct supervision of Nashik Police Commissioner Sandeep Karnik, has consolidated its probe into nine FIRs registered between March 26 and April 3, 2026, at Deolali Camp and other stations.
The investigation covers alleged sexual exploitation, workplace harassment, and religious coercion at the TCS BPO unit in Satpur MIDC, spanning a chilling four-year pattern from July 2022 to early 2026.
SIT has mapped a systematic pattern rather than isolated incidents. Victims are primarily Hindu women (aged 18-25); sexual harassment, inappropriate touching, staring at chests, obscene remarks on bodies and personal lives, persistent advances, double-meaning comments, gestures toward private parts, increased workload for non-compliance, and molestation.
One serious case involves Tausif Attar allegedly establishing physical relations with a complainant under the false pretext of marriage. Mocking Hindu deities and beliefs, abusive language targeting religion, pressure to consume non-vegetarian food, offering Namaz, changing dressing style and attempts at religious conversion. One victim was reportedly influenced to observe Ramzan fasts and adopt Islamic practices.
The SIT has recovered 78 emails and chats from the arrested HR AGM’s devices, which are under active scrutiny in her presence. These include senior managers escalating complaints against two accused employees for sexual harassment, which allegedly received no response.
SIT is also examining call records, CCTV footage, WhatsApp groups, and bank statements to determine if internal grievances were deliberately ignored or suppressed, sources said.
Nida Khan, the AGM (HR), is under the scanner for allegedly acting as a facilitator and introducing victims to the accused team leaders and enabling befriending.
She remains absconding; police have appealed for public information on her whereabouts. The probe was triggered by a February 2026 tip-off from a local political worker about a Hindu woman observing Ramzan fasts. Police deployed constables (including six women officers) undercover as housekeeping staff for nearly two weeks (some reports mention a longer 40-day phase), gathering direct evidence of misconduct at workstations and meetings. This led to the FIRs and arrests. SIT is examining TCS’s compliance with the POSH Act, including the functioning of the Internal Committee. The Nashik district collector has ordered a parallel joint inquiry. No chargesheet has been filed yet, and the unit’s operations remain paused. TCS has reiterated its zero-tolerance policy, with Chairman N Chandrasekaran describing the allegations as ‘gravely concerning’and ordering an internal probe led by COO Aarthi Subramanian. The SIT continues to record victim statements and analyse technical evidence. Further updates, including possible additional FIRs or financial links, are expected in the coming days.
