SC Plea Cites Nashik TCS Case as Evidence of Organized Conversion

New Delhi (IANS): Advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay moved a fresh application before the Supreme Court on Thursday, citing the alleged forced conversion and sexual exploitation scandal at the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) Nashik branch. The plea characterizes the incident as evidence of “organized religious conversion” and seeks stronger judicial intervention to curb unlawful conversions nationwide.

The application, filed within the pending matter “In Re: The Issue of Religious Conversion,” argues that the Nashik incidents demonstrate the urgent need for legal measures against conversions involving force, fraud, or coercion. Multiple female employees at the TCS Nashik branch have alleged that senior staff harassed them between 2022 and 2026, reportedly pressuring them to adopt specific religious practices.

“The organized religious conversion in Nashik has shaken the conscience of citizens,” the plea stated, describing such acts as a “serious threat” to national integration and secularism. Upadhyay argued that while Article 25 protects the right to propagate religion, it does not grant a fundamental right to convert another person through exploitation or psychological pressure.

The plea further urges the apex court to treat systematic forced conversion campaigns as “organized crime.” It even suggests that these acts could fall under the ambit of “terrorist acts” under Section 113 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) if they involve systematic coercion intended to threaten public order.

Politically, the scandal has triggered a massive storm. Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Nirupam and BJP MLC Chitra Wagh have demanded institutional accountability from TCS, questioning how such activities occurred within a prestigious global firm. Maharashtra police have already arrested six employees following reports that began in March, when a woman accused a colleague of exploitation under a false promise of marriage.