On Friday, Nashik police arrested the HR manager of a leading business process outsourcing (BPO) firm as part of an investigation into serious allegations of sexual abuse and harassment involving nine employees, including eight women. The HR manager, who operates from the BPO's Pune office, was produced before the additional chief judicial magistrate's court in Nashik and remanded to police custody until April 13. This arrest marks the eighth individual implicated in the case, with one other accused currently in custody and another absconding. The police have filed FIRs against the HR manager under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, including abatement of the offence and defamation. Assistant public prosecutor Aniket Awad indicated that further questioning is necessary, especially regarding claims that the HR manager was informed about other senior employees involved in similar misconduct. The defence counsel contended that the HR manager had no role in abetting the alleged offences, arguing that no formal complaints were made during the period in question. Meanwhile, protests led by the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Nashik unit have called for stringent action against the BPO and its employees, emphasizing the management's responsibility to maintain a safe working environment for all staff, particularly women.