Fresh Complaint Against Infosys CEO From Finance Department Staff: Report

Another whistleblower from global software major Infosys accused its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Salil Parekh of committing misdeeds and urged the Chairman and the board of directors to act against him on his volatile complaints.

"Though it is a year and 8 months since Mr Parekh joined the company, he operates from Mumbai in violation of the condition that the CEO has to be based in Bengaluru and not Mumbai. What is stopping the board to insist on his movement to Bengaluru," said the whistleblower in an unsigned and undated letter to Infosys Chairman and co-founder Nandan Nilekani and Independent Directors on the Board.

Claiming to be an employee in the $11-billion company's finance department, the whistleblower complained that he was unable to disclose his identity fearing retaliation for the damning disclosures he was making against Mr Parekh.

"I am an employee working in the finance department. I am submitting this whistleblower complaint as the matter is so volatile that I fear retaliation if I disclose my identity. Please excuse me for the same, but the matter is of grave importance," said the employee in the complaint, accessed by IANS through sources on Monday night.

As an employee and a shareholder, the whistleblower said it was his duty to bring to the notice of the chairman and the board a few facts about Mr Parekh that were eroding the value systems of the company.

"Hope that you will execute your responsibilities in the true spirit of Infosys and in favour of employees and shareholders who have so much of faith in the company," the complaint noted.

As Mr Parekh did not relocate to Bengaluru even after he was given two months to do and was visiting the tech hub twice a month, the techie said the company had incurred Rs 22 lakh towards his airfare and local transportation.

"Four business class tickets per month plus home to airport drop in Mumbai, airport pick-up in Bengaluru and drop on the return journey," alleged the whistleblower.

Infosys, however, did not respond to the whistleblower's complaint till the time of releasing this news breaking story.

This is the second whistleblower's complaint after a few anonymous employees accused Mr Parekh and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Nilanjan Roy of unethical practices in a 2-page letter to the board on September 20, a copy of which IANS accessed through sources.

When there was no response from the board to their letter, an unnamed whistleblower on behalf of the unethical employees on October 3 wrote to the US-based office of the Whistleblower Protection Programme, alleging willful mis-statement material accounting irregularities for (the) last two quarters (April-September).

Reminding the board that all the employees pay for their transport from home to office and back, the senior staffer said it was not wrong to expect the same from the CEO.

"Please initiate action to recover this money (transport expenses) from the CEO immediately. Mr Parekh is a smart cookie. He has taken an apartment on rent in Bengaluru to hoodwink people who may question him, but that does not mean he has relocated to Bengaluru. He has done this with malicious intentions to mislead the board and the company's founders."

Referring to the CEO's record of visits to Bengaluru, the complaint said Mr Parekh leaves Mumbai leisurely at 10 a.m. and reaches Bengaluru by 11.30 a.m. and office by 1.30 p.m.

"Mr Parekh spends an afternoon in office and next forenoon he is off to Mumbai by 2 p.m. This kind of involvement of the CEO in the company is the worst that we have seen till date. This, unfortunately, is not setting the right example for other employees to follow. Incidentally, it has become the norm. Many people have started working from home and nobody to ask them any questions. Even if tough managers want to ask questions, how would they as the CEO himself is working from home," the whistleblower recalled.

Accusing the CEO of having stock market connections and investing in several firms, the complainant said Mr Parekh stayed in Mumbai to have a better oversight on his investments.

"This is a gross violation of the company's value system and has to be investigated and action for (Mr Parekh's) termination should be initiated. Will the company allow such a deed by other employees? If not, then why spare the CEO? What is the toothless NRC (Nomination Remuneration Committee) doing?" asked the whistleblower.