We Ain't No Thieves, Claims TCS

Indian software giant Tata Consultancy Services strongly denied infringing on the intellectual property of American healthcare management software provider Epic Systems.

TCS and its U.S. affiliate Tata America International Corporation recently suffered a severe blow when they lost a lawsuit filed by Verona, Wisconsin based Epic Systems.

The Madison, Wisconsin jury then ordered TCS/Tata America to pay $940 million in compensatory and punitive damages to Epic Systems.

The verdict is a huge stain not just for Tata, which prides itself as an ethical business group, but for the entire Indian outsourcing business that currently rakes in billions from the U.S. market.

Not Thieves

In plain English, the essence of TCS’ response to the jury verdict is that it’s a respectable company and not a thief.

“TCS says no IP infringement in Epic Systems case; Company to defend its position,” says the headline of a press statement that TCS put out following the $940 million verdict.

But the jury thinks that Epic Systems proved by preponderant evidence that TCS misappropriated (aka stealing) its trade secrets.

The Indian software services provider said it did not misuse or derive any benefit from documents downloaded from Epic System’s user-web portal.

TCS is also taking pains to note that it “did not misuse or benefit from any of the said information for development of its own hospital management system “Med Mantra’ which was implemented for a large hospital chain in India in 2009.”

Oh, yes, TCS will definitely appeal the verdicts that came out of the court of the Western District Madison, Wisconsin.

With over 300,000 employees, TCS is India’s largest software company.