Sun Apr 06 11:39:52 UTC 2025: ## Kerala Firm’s “Humiliating” Employee Video Deemed Deceptive; Employees Deny Harassment

**KOCHI, KERALA –** A video depicting alleged inhumane treatment of employees at Keltra, a marketing firm in Kochi, Kerala, has taken a surprising turn. While initial reports sparked public outrage, with visuals showing an employee being forced to crawl on the floor on his knees and lick coins, a subsequent investigation reveals the video may be deceptive.

The video, which initially led to a probe by the Kerala Labour Department, the State Human Rights Commission, and the Kerala State Youth Commission, has been disputed by numerous Keltra employees. Local news outlets report that several employees have come forward to deny experiencing any harassment. They claim the video was fabricated to damage the company’s reputation.

Police have corroborated these statements, deeming the video deceptive. Their investigation suggests the video was filmed by a former manager, Manaf, who allegedly had a dispute with the company owner. Manaf reportedly filmed the video with some newly hired trainees, who claim to have participated willingly.

The employee depicted crawling in the video has also given a statement to both the police and the district labour officer, claiming the incident was staged to settle internal disputes and that he agreed to participate. He further stated that the video was released following disciplinary action against certain employees. Another employee stated that the company operates on a commission-based salary system, denying the existence of sales targets that were allegedly used to justify the punishments.

While State Labour Minister Sivankutty initially ordered an investigation following the release of the shocking footage, the emerging evidence paints a different picture, casting significant doubt on the initial allegations of widespread workplace harassment. The investigation is ongoing.

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