A Telugu software engineer, Amrutesh Vallabhaneni, has filed a lawsuit in the United States against his employer, Siri Software Solutions (SiriSoft), and its Indian-origin CEO Pavan Tata, alleging forced labour, wage theft, and caste-based discrimination.
According to Breitbart News, the lawsuit accuses SiriSoft of “weaponising” the H-1B visa program to exploit Vallabhaneni, using promises of Green Card sponsorship to enforce harsh and unlawful working conditions. The company allegedly threatened to cancel his visa — an act that would have forced him to leave the US — if he did not comply.
Vallabhaneni claims he was compelled to pay his own salary for six months, faced inconsistent payments, and struggled to afford essentials such as rent and medical care. The lawsuit states, “Forced labor, labor trafficking, and withholding visa documents are crimes.”
The complaint further alleges that the Green Card process was used as a tool of coercion, with SiriSoft reportedly threatening to halt it whenever Vallabhaneni resisted their demands. As a result, both he and his wife suffered financial and emotional distress, including loss of health insurance that left them without medical care.
Labour trafficking expert Jay Palmer, who helped prepare the case, described the situation as a “Squid Game for Indian workers,” accusing some Indian-led tech firms in the US of importing caste-based discrimination and exploitative practices from their home country.
The lawsuit seeks full compensation and damages, drawing attention to the increasing reports of H-1B visa exploitation within the US tech sector. Siri Software Solutions has not yet issued a public response.
Vallabhaneni’s journey in the US began in 2015 on an F-1 student visa. He initially worked for EContent in New Jersey before joining SiriSoft in 2018, which offered him H-1B sponsorship — a visa seen as a pathway to a Green Card and long-term US residency.
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