NCW chief reviews Nashik cases, report on TCS probe to be submitted soon

Nashik: Vijaya Rahatkar, the chairman of the National Commission for Women (NCW), on Wednesday met Nashik police commissioner Sandeep Karnik and investigation teams to review progress in the astrologer Ashok Kharat case and multiple complaints linked to TCS. She said the commission's fact-finding report on the TCS-related allegations would be reviewed over the next two to three days before being submitted to state govt and other authorities for action.Rahatkar told reporters that the NCW committee, which spent two days in Nashik last month probing allegations of sexual harassment and religious coercion at TCS, submitted its findings on Tuesday. The four-member panel had interacted with company representatives, police officers and others during its visit.The police have registered nine cases in the city against eight accused, mostly in senior roles at TCS, such as team leaders, based on complaints of sexual harassment and religious coercion.Rahatkar, who was in Nashik on Wednesday to attend a religious event at the Kalaram temple, said she used the opportunity to meet investigators and take stock of both cases. After the meeting, she said the police are actively working on the investigations and should be given time to complete them.Addressing another issue, Rahatkar termed the recent rape and murder of a three-year-old in Pune as "extremely unfortunate and shocking," noting that the chief minister has assured a fast-track court hearing. "The NCW has written to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights appealing to it to pay close attention to the matter and ensure that the case goes in the fast track court, and the criminal gets capital punishment," said Rahatkar.Rahatkar also stressed the need for broader societal introspection, stating that incidents of such nature point to a worrying shift in mindset. On the issue of not letting convicts with a history of sexual assaults out on parole, she said, "NCW will surely take a stand on this. I personally feel that people with such histories should not be let out on parole. I believe that even state govt is also working on this issue," she told reporters.