Infosys Board Member Quits After Charges of Sexual Harassment

Phaneesh Murthy, who was also a director on the company's board, worked from Infosys' office at Fremont, Calif.

Murthy has resigned, saying he needs more time "to pursue a successful defense of a recent lawsuit filed against him and the company, alleging wrongful termination and sexual harassment," an Infosys statement said. It gave no further details about the lawsuit or the former employee.

Infosys, which is listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange, has 10 offices in the United States. The company's sales totaled 26 billion rupees ($540 million) last year. More than two-thirds of its revenue comes from the United States.

Rediff.com, a leading Indian news Web site, reported that Murthy was the highest paid Infosys executive with an annual take-home pay of 20 million rupees ($400,000). The company also announced on Tuesday that Basab Pradhan, until now Infosys' head of global sales, would succeed Murthy.

The Web site quoted Infosys CEO Nandan Nilekani as saying "the company does not expect to see any material change due to Murthy's sudden resignation and change in the management structure."

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