​Thiruvananthapuram: M R Madhu Babu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) with the Special Branch in Alappuzha, who is facing multiple allegations regarding custodial torture, has been promoted as Additional Superintendent of Police in Kottayam.

Madhu is an office-bearer of Kerala Police Senior Officers’ Association. The previous LDF government had recommended promotion to Madhu pointing out that there was no service-related disciplinary action against Madhu in the previous three years.

The first complaint against Madhu was filed by former SFI Pathanamthitta district president Jayakrishnan Thannithode, who alleged that he had lost hearing in an ear after being slapped by Madhu in 2012, when he was the Circle Inspector (CI) in Konni. Even though the police submitted a report favouring Madhu in the incident, the Director General of Police (DGP) returned it.

Post Jayakrishnan’s revelation, numerous complaints were raised against Madhu from multiple locations. Among the complainants was V K Muraleedharan, a resident of Malankara in Thodupuzha, who alleged that Madhu had beaten him up in the police station while the officer was serving as the Thodupuzha DySP. As per Muraleedharan, no action was taken against Madhu despite complaints filed with the DGP and others.

Madhu also faced charges of stripping an accused who was taken into custody and applying the ‘choriyanam’ plant (Indian stinging nettle), which causes intense itching, on his body in 2006, when he was the Sub Inspector (SI) in Cherthala. In this case, Madhu was sentenced to one-month’s imprisonment and slapped with a fine of Rs 1,000 by the Magistrate Court, Cherthala in December 2024. However, Madhu filed an appeal against this judgment and, later, evaded the punishment by reaching a compromise with the petitioner.

Latest HC directive
In yet another incident, the Kerala High Court has directed the government to inform it about the action taken over a complaint filed against Madhu for allegedly insulting film producer Sheela Kurien while he was the Alappuzha DySP.

Sheela had alleged that Madhu had humiliated her when she approached him with a complaint regarding a financial fraud in February, 2025. The High Court had earlier issued a directive to the government to initiate necessary action over Sheela’s complaint. The latest High Court directive was issued by Justice Jobin Sebastian when Sheela filed a contempt of court petition citing the non-implementation of the previous directive.

Sheela’s initial petition before the High Court had sought prosecution of Madhu.