Ex-employee booked for alleging 'torture' of underperforming staff at marketing firm

Kochi | In a surprising twist to the ongoing controversy surrounding the torture allegations at a private marketing firm here, the police on Sunday registered a case against a former employee, who originally made the accusations.

The case was registered against Manaf, a Kozhikode native, following a complaint by a woman residing in Perumbavoor.

The complainant claimed that the widely circulated video, which shows employees being forced to behave like dogs, was filmed under Manaf's coercion, police said.

Manaf, who had previously held a senior position at the company, allegedly pressurised the employees into participating in the disturbing act.

Subsequently, a case has been registered against Manaf for assault and criminal force with intent to outrage a woman's modesty, a police officer at the Perumbavoor police station said.

The private marketing firm here has been accused of subjecting its underperforming employees to degrading treatment, including making them walk on their knees like chained dogs and lick coins from the floor.

Earlier, the youths shown in the video told media that the footage, which was reportedly filmed by Manaf, who had been dismissed from the company, was misinterpreted and widely spread.

Meanwhile, the Ernakulam District Labour Officer filed a report to the State Labour Commissioner stating that the footage does not constitute workplace harassment, Labour department sources said.

However, Manaf, responded to a television channel, stating that the youths changed their statements under pressure and that legal action will be taken against the company owner.

The state Labour department had ordered a probe into the alleged inhuman workplace harassment after the disturbing visuals were aired by local television channels.

As the issue came to the light, state Labour Minister V Sivankutty on Saturday ordered an inquiry into the undated incident and instructed the district labour officer to submit an immediate report on the incident.

The visuals purportedly showed a person using a leash to force a man to crawl on his knees on the floor, resembling a dog.

Later, some employees told a TV channel that those who fail to achieve targets were subjected to such punishments by the management of the firm.

According to police, the incident allegedly took place in connection with a private marketing firm functioning in Kaloor and the crime allegedly occurred at nearby Perumbavoor.

The State Human Rights Commission also registered a case into the incident based on a complaint filed by High Court lawyer Kulathoor Jaisingh.