India, April 24 -- In a small chamber that overlooks the district and sessions court in Nashik, Baba Sayyed, 57 and Rahul Kasliwal, 45, are grappling with the most high-profile case of their careers. The two lawyers, partners and close friends for 25 years, are representing all but two of the accused in the TCS BPO case where eight employees -- six men and two women -- have been booked variously for rape, sexual harassment, harassment, and religious coercion. Except for one of them, Nida Khan, 26, the rest of the accused are in jail.

The case, first reported by the media on April 9, has convulsed Nashik, cast aspersions on one of the country's largest IT companies, and raised questions about media overreach, HR redressal mechanisms, and ...