Close on the heels of the controversy surrounding self-styled godman Ashok Kharat and allegations of sexual exploitation, Nashik located 180 kms North of Mumbai has been rocked by another major scandal this time involving alleged sexual harassment and exploitation of women at a Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) unit of a leading IT company. Complaints by multiple employees have led to the arrest of nine individuals, including eight Muslim men, even as right-wing groups have sought to frame the case using terms such as “love jihad” and “office jihad”.

What is the case?

On March 25, a young woman approached the Deolali Camp police station alleging that she worked at a BPO office in the Mumbai Naka area. In her complaint, she alleged that between 2022 and 2026, three of her colleagues including a woman hurt her religious sentiments. She further accused one of the male colleagues of sexually exploiting and molesting her on multiple occasions. The complaint came at a time when Nashik was already under scrutiny due to the Kharat case.

How did the case expand?

Given the sensitivity of the allegations, Nashik Police which was at that time investigating the allegations of sexual exploitation of godmen Ashok Kharat, began a wider probe and appealed to other employees to come forward. By April 3, a total of nine complaints had been registered filed by eight women and one man alleging sexual harassment as well as instances of religious harassment by the accused. Several complainants also claimed that despite reporting the matter to the company’s Human Resources department, no action was taken.

What action has been taken?

Police have so far arrested Asif Ansari, Shafi Sheikh, Shah Rukh Qureshi, Raza Memon, Tausif Attar, and Danish Sheikh in connection with the case.

A total of nine FIRs have been registered based on complaints filed by nine staff members, including eight women, alleging rape, sexual harassment and abuse last month.

On Friday, police also arrested the company’s Assistant General Manager (HR)* after a woman alleged that she had been informed about the accused’s involvement in sexual abuse, harassment and incidents of hurting religious sentiments, but failed to take action.

The accused, many of whom held positions such as team leaders, are alleged to have exploited junior employees, with complainants claiming they acted under fear of losing their jobs.

What do the complaints say?

While the first complaint centres on allegations of sexual exploitation, the remaining complaints detail a range of offences. These include allegations of sexual harassment, stalking, inappropriate remarks, and gestures. One complainant alleged that an accused stared at her inappropriately, made comments about her personal life, and pointed at her private parts. Others have alleged that the accused used objectionable language against Hindu deities, pressured them to convert to Islam, and forced them to consume non-vegetarian food including beef. One complaint also alleges stalking and coercion into a physical relationship. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has since been constituted to probe the matter.

Case takes a political turn

The arrests have triggered strong political reactions. Leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party have demanded stringent action. State minister Nitesh Rane termed the incident “corporate jihad”, saying, “We have acted against love and land jihad. If it has entered the corporate sector, we will deal with it strongly.” He also questioned the role of the company’s HR department, asking why no action was taken despite multiple complaints.

Rane added that in the Ashok Kharat case, Hindu organisations had demanded strict punishment, and questioned the silence of minority groups in the present case.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis described the case as “very serious”, stating that incidents involving sexual harassment and alleged coercion in a corporate setup were “shocking” and must be taken to their logical conclusion. “There is no place for such incidents in Maharashtra. Those guilty will face stringent punishment,” he said.