Former Brane employees pour out woes to ministe

November 18, 2024

Hyderabad: Scores of former employees of Brane Enterprises poured out their woes during a public hearing in the city as they grieved unfair treatment. IT Minister D Sridhar Babu assured that in his capacity he would summon the company’s management to hold discussions and will help mediate a fair and just settlement for the employees.

At the public hearing organised by the All India Professionals Congress (AIPC) held in Exhibition grounds, over 100 former employees, representing 3,000 employees of Brane Enterprises, gathered to voice their grievances on ‘unfair treatment’. The distressed employees who were terminated reportedly without months of payment explained the sequence of events and also submitted a memorandum of demands to the Minister.

The Minister who heard the grievances said a team of government officials would be speaking to the management to understand the core issue while coordinating the affected employees towards finding a solution to this.

The IT Minister assured that the welfare of software employees is our concern and the issue will be taken into cognizance. The government will act as a facilitator, and a solution shall be derived.

The employees narrated the instances of how Brane Enterprises had made false promises and recruited them from premier institutes across India, did not pay salaries within four months of onboarding, and fired them arbitrarily. The hearing was to demand justice and compensation for these professionals from Brane Enterprises. “Being recruited through campus placement, I am undergoing a lot of mental distress owing to the present scenario. Because of this, I never landed anywhere, while I am still paying for EMIs for MBA. Those with families are still struggling to pay school fees,” lamented Pushpita, a fresher who was recruited by the company.

Rakshit Agnihotri, another victim, felt that they have studied in institutes like NIT, IIT, and IIMs, but they became victims of the system.

AIPC Chairman Praveen Chakravarty and PCC President B Mahesh Kumar Goud, apart from former Justice B Chandra Kumar, Director, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Contemporary Studies, Vijay Mahajan, listened patiently to the distressed professionals.

https://www.thehansindia.com/news/cities/hyderabad/minister-sridhar-babu-inaugurates-new-campus-of-pstu-at-bachupally-926551

AIPC to hold hearing on Sunday on reported cheating of employees by Hyderabad’s Brane Enterprises

IT Minister Sridhar Babu, AIPC chairman Praveen Chakravarty, TPCC Chief Mahesh Goud to attend public hearing at Exhibition Grounds inn Hyderabad

November 13, 2024

The All India Professionals’ Congress (AIPC) has announced a public hearing to address allegations against Hyderabad-based IT firm Brane Enterprises on Sunday.

The company, reportedly owned by the family of Ramalinga Raju, has been accused of defrauding approximately 3,000 employees by withholding salaries and terminating staff without dues.

AIPC Chairman Praveen Chakravarty, IT Minister D. Sridhar Babu, and Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president B. Mahesh Kumar Goud will attend the public hearing, which will be held at G.C Hall, Exhibition Grounds, Nampally on Sunday (November 17) at 4 p.m.

According to Mr. Praveen Chakravarty, the hearing has been taken up after receiving multiple complaints from affected employees.

Brane Enterprises, which claimed to pioneer a patented Artificial Intelligence technology, lists the patent under the name of Ramalinga Raju. Mr. Raju was the former chairman of Satyam Computers, who was convicted for his involvement in one of India’s most prominent corporate frauds. Mr. Raju’s sons and daughter are now reportedly managing the company.

According to its 2023 financial report, Brane Enterprises declared a net worth of ₹58 crore, presenting itself as a stable and innovative organisation. However, after aggressively hiring nearly 3,000 employees by early 2024, the company began facing financial issues. Employees reported salary delays starting in April, and by August, around 1,500 employees were abruptly laid off without receiving their pending payments. This has left many struggling with financial uncertainty.

Speaking about the initiative, Mr. Praveen Chakravarty said: “AIPC is committed to ensuring fair practices and addressing injustices in the corporate sector.” He urged the public, media and advocacy groups to support the event, emphasising the importance of transparency and accountability.

This hearing aims to highlight the challenges employees face in India’s IT industry and push for more robust measures to safeguard rights of workers. The AIPC has called on all stakeholders to join the event and stand in solidarity with the affected professionals.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/aipc-to-hold-hearing-on-alleged-employee-duping-by-hyderabads-brane-enterprises/article68876592.ece