Nashik workplace abuse case came to light after 7 women police officers went undercover inside multinational company. They caught an accused behaving inappropriately during a meeting, leading to arrests. 9 FIRs were registered based on complaints by women employees. Sting operation expose years of alleged sexual harassment and workplace misconduct.
A serious workplace abuse case has emerged from Nashik in Maharashtra, where several women working at a multinational company have accused colleagues and senior staff of sexual, mental and religious harassment. Police have so far arrested six accused, and the investigation is still ongoing. The case has shocked many because of the scale of allegations and the long period over which the alleged incidents took place.
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How the case was exposed
The case took a dramatic turn when seven women police officers entered the company in disguise. They attended a meeting inside the office and reportedly saw inappropriate behaviour by one of the accused towards women employees.
Officials said the accused was caught 'red-handed' during this operation. This undercover action helped confirm the complaints and led to several arrests.
Police are now examining more than 40 CCTV footage clips from inside the office to gather strong evidence.
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Multiple complaints and FIRs registered
According to police, at least nine FIRs have been filed in the case. Eight were registered at Mumbai Naka police station and one at Deolali police station.
Most of the complainants are young women aged between 18 and 25. They have alleged that the harassment continued for two to three years.
The cases include serious charges such as rape, molestation, outraging modesty, and hurting religious sentiments.
Who are the accused
The accused named in the case include Asif Ansari, Shafi Shaikh, Shahrukh Qureshi, Raza Memon and Tausif Attar. Some of them were working as team leaders or engineers in the company.
A woman HR official linked to the company’s Pune office has also been booked for not taking action on complaints.
So far, five accused have been arrested and were sent to police custody till April 10. One accused is in judicial custody.
What the allegations say
The complaints describe a pattern of serious misconduct. Women employees have accused the men of making obscene comments about their bodies and clothes, touching them inappropriately, and mentally harassing them.
One of the most serious allegations is of rape, where the accused is said to have forced a relationship by promising marriage.
Some victims have also claimed they were stalked, insulted during meetings, and repeatedly targeted in the workplace.
Detailed incidents reported by victims
Police have listed several incidents in the FIRs, as reported by NDTV. These incidents span from 2022 to 2026.
In one case, a woman said she was insulted with remarks about her religion and that an accused formed a physical relationship with her on the false promise of marriage.
In another case, two accused allegedly passed shameful comments about a woman’s personal life and touched her inappropriately, even after she complained.
There are also claims that women were stared at in an obscene way, mocked in meetings, and pressured for physical closeness.
In multiple cases, the accused are alleged to have made offensive comments about religious beliefs in front of others.
Allegations of religious coercion
Some of the most disturbing claims involve religious pressure. Victims have alleged that they were forced to perform religious rituals like Namaaz and were pressured to change their religion.
There are also claims that some women were forced to eat non-vegetarian food against their wishes.
In a related claim, a male employee has also said he was pressured to convert and follow certain religious practices.
These allegations have added a serious dimension to the case.
Claims of ignored complaints
Many employees have told police that they had raised complaints earlier with the company’s HR department.
However, they claim no proper action was taken. In one statement, police said a senior officer failed to act on complaints and instead supported the accused.
This has raised questions about the company’s internal system for handling workplace complaints.
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Special investigation team formed
Due to the seriousness of the case, police have formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT). The team is led by Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sandeep Mitke and includes around 12 officers.
The SIT is looking at call records, CCTV footage, and witness statements. Police are also checking if this could be part of a larger organised pattern.
Police Commissioner Sandeep Karnik has ordered a detailed probe.
The investigation is still ongoing, and more arrests are likely. Police are waiting for further evidence and detailed examination of all FIRs.
Officials have said that the identity of the victims is being kept confidential to protect them.
Police have also asked other victims to come forward if they have faced similar harassment. They have shared a WhatsApp number for reporting such cases.
Advocate Baba Syed, representing the accused, has said that the allegations may be due to misunderstandings in a shared office environment. He added that the truth will come out after a full review of the FIRs.
