Pune (Maharashtra) [India], April 15 : IT giant Infosys issued a formal statement on Wednesday addressing social media allegations of workplace harassment at its Business Process Management (BPM) facility in Pune.
The company's response comes as Maharashtra's IT sector faces heightened scrutiny following a separate, severe criminal investigation into harassment and forced religious conversion at a TCS facility in Nashik.
The controversy surrounding Infosys ignited after a series of posts on the social media platform X alleged inappropriate behaviour toward female employees in Pune.
While the original posts have since been deleted, the issue drew a reaction from Maharashtra Minister Nitesh Rane, who confirmed the government has taken note of the claims.
In an official statement, Infosys emphasised its commitment to employee safety. "Infosys maintains a zero-tolerance approach to any form of harassment or discrimination. Any issue reported is treated seriously and investigated by an independent committee. We encourage a 'speak-up' culture for employees to report any concern."
The company noted that it has activated its internal robust processes and multi-channel preventive programs to investigate the claims, aligned with its global Code of Conduct.
"Any issue that is reported is treated seriously and investigated by an independent committee, as per our robust processes. In addition, there are proactive multi-channel preventive programs, including a 'speak-up' culture that encourages employees to report any concern," added the statement.
While further details regarding the specific allegations and any ongoing inquiry are awaited, it has been noted that the individual who initially alleged the misconduct has since deleted the social media posts.
The Infosys incident occurred against the backdrop of the Nashik TCS case, where several female employees at the company's Nashik facility were allegedly subjected to harassment in their workplace by senior staff between 2022 and 2026.
A total of 9 cases have been registered regarding the case, 1 case being at Deolali camp police station and 8 others at Mumbai Naka. A total of 9 complaints, including 1 man who has come forward with allegations of harassment, torture and forced religious conversion.
The entire matter began with a complaint by a woman employee, who alleged that a colleague established a relationship with her on the pretext of marriage. As the investigation progressed, seven other women also came forward with similar experiences, making the case more serious.
The complaints include allegations of sexual harassment, inappropriate touching, objectionable remarks, stalking, and mental pressure at the workplace. Some victims have also claimed that they were pressured to adopt certain religious practices or convert. Those arrested include Asif Ansari, Shafi Shaikh, Shahrukh Qureshi, Raza Memon and Tausif Attar. Another employee has also been arrested.
During the investigation, the police have examined more than 40 CCTV footages and are recording statements of the victims and the accused. An undercover operation was also conducted with the help of women police personnel to apprehend one of the accused.
Additonally, one of the accused, Ashwini Chainani, Operations Manager of the company, has been remanded to 14-day judicial custody.
The investigation is currently ongoing, and officials say that all aspects are being thoroughly examined, after which conclusions will be drawn.
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