AMN / MUMBAI
A fact-finding report by the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) has stated that investigators have found no evidence to substantiate claims of an organised “love jihad” or a coordinated religious conversion conspiracy in the workplace harassment case linked to Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in Nashik.
The report, released on April 23 at the Mumbai Press Club, noted that a five-member APCR team visited Nashik on April 4 to assess the situation. Based on interactions with officials, the team observed that the nine FIRs filed in the case contain differing and, at times, inconsistent allegations.
Referring to details earlier reported by The Free Press Journal, APCR said the “love jihad” narrative had been prominently highlighted in public discourse. However, according to the report, investigating agencies have not established any organised effort aimed at religious conversion.
Instead, the findings indicate that the case primarily revolves around allegations of sexual harassment and workplace misconduct, although certain complaints also include claims of hurt religious sentiments. The report underlined that there is no conclusive evidence pointing to any systematic or coordinated conversion activity.
APCR has recommended that the investigation be transferred to a retired judge to ensure impartiality and has also called for narco analysis tests on both the complainants and the accused.
The press briefing was attended by members of several civil society organisations, including the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP), and the Bombay Catholic Sabha (BCS).
APCR national secretary Nadeem Khan alleged that the case appeared to be part of a “deliberate attempt” to push educated Muslim youth out of corporate employment. “It is difficult to believe that someone can be forced to observe fasts round the clock. The FIRs filed by the police raise several questions, and their role has become questionable,” he said.
Former journalist and Nashik-based activist Niranjan Takle claimed that the first FIR in the case was registered on the complaint of an individual who was neither a victim nor an employee of TCS. He added that many of the allegations across FIRs were vague and difficult to substantiate. Takle further alleged that the controversy may have been amplified to divert attention from a separate, highly contentious sexual exploitation case in Nashik involving self-styled godman Ashok Kharat.
Teesta Setalvad, secretary of CJP, said the central issue in the case should be workplace safety and institutional accountability. She pointed out that complaints of workplace sexual harassment formed a relatively small share of the 12,019 cases reported by the Maharashtra State Commission for Women in 2023–24.
“The focus should be on sexual harassment, institutional mechanisms, and ensuring a safe work culture — not on communalising the issue. Crimes must never be linked to any one caste or community,” she said.