Professional rivalry and office politics were the driving forces behind the "false" sexual harassment and conversion allegations levelled against Tata Consulting Services (TCS) employee Raza Rafiq Memon, his family said here on Sunday, describing him as a "high performer".
Speaking to PTI, Memon's uncle Ayaz Kazi said the case was part of a coordinated "conspiracy" spurred by Memon's academic and professional performance.
Memon, currently in police custody till April 20, is among eight persons arrested after allegations of sexual harassment and pressure to convert emerged at a unit of TCS in Nashik.
He led the team that included both the complainant and prime accused Danish Shaikh.
Memon's family said the primary allegations are against Shaikh, and if he is guilty, then he must not be spared.
"However, the allegation against my nephew may be part of a coordinated conspiracy driven by academic and professional performance," Kazi said.
Memon hails from a humble background and topped an internal exam at the firm last year, which could have triggered jealousy among the other colleagues, the uncle said.
"He became a topper, and that didn't sit well with others in the company. This looks like a frame-up born out of office politics," he said.
Kazi described his nephew as "helpful," citing chats between the complainants and Memon that he said show he allowed them to leave early for their personal reasons.
Memon always obliged and would coordinate with the other team members, he said.
"As a team leader, his focus was strictly on sales targets and team productivity. There was no indication of any inappropriate interaction outside of these professional requests," he added.
Memon's family members also made claims of communal discrimination in the case against him. Kazi claimed that the people above Memon in the hierarchy were from different faiths, yet no action had been taken against them.
He said that Memon's inclusion in the matter is a "planned conspiracy" to derail the careers of high-performing employees.
A family member of another accused called him innocent. He has been "framed" because he used to hang out with Danish, the relative said. "He is a practising person and could not have done such a thing," the family member said.
A Special Investigation Team of Nashik police has arrested eight persons, including a female operations manager, by registering nine FIRs after allegations of exploitation, attempt of forceful conversion, hurting religious sentiments, molestation and mental harassment of female employees at the TCS unit came to light.
The Nashik police have formed three teams to trace another accused, Nida Khan. These teams have been dispatched to various places, and one of them landed in Mumbra near Thane, officials said.
Meanwhile, Khan has filed an anticipatory bail application before the Nashik sessions court, which will hear the plea on Monday.
Her lawyer has denied the charges against his client, saying she cannot be accused of outraging the modesty of another woman. Her plea also cited her two-month-old pregnancy as a ground for bail.
TCS has clarified that it has adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards harassment and coercion of any form for a long time, and the employees allegedly involved in sexual harassment at the Nashik office have been suspended.
The company said on Friday that a preliminary review of the records indicated that it had not received any complaints "of the nature that are being alleged on either our ethics or POSH (prevention of sexual harassment) channels".
The country's largest IT services firm has also announced an oversight panel and engagement of external entities in its internal probe, it added.
