Thiruvananthapuram Sessions Court Grants Anticipatory Bail To Rahul Mamkootathil In Second Rape Case

Thiruvananthapuram: The Principal Sessions Court in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday granted pre-arrest bail to former Congress MLA Rahul Mamkoottathil in a case registered against him based on the complaint of a Bengaluru based woman. According to reports, the court has also directed him to cooperate with the investigation. 

The Palakkad MLA has been absconding since November 28 ever since another woman booked a complaint against him in which she accused Mamkoottathil of raping and impregnating her. The probe team has taken his driver into custody who reportedly dropped him off in Bengaluru.

On December 6, the Kerala High Court stayed his arrest. The bench of Justice K Babu considered the MLA's anticipatory bail plea and directed that detailed arguments would be heard. The matter is scheduled to be taken up again on December 15. According to reports, Mamkootathil had approached the High Court after the Thiruvananthapuram Principal Sessions Court rejected his anticipatory bail application.

The Thiruvananthapuram Police registered a case against Mamkootathil based on the woman's complaint alleging sexual assault, rape on the pretext of marriage and forced abortion. The FIR, initially lodged at the Nedumangad Valiyamala Police Station, was later transferred to the Nemom Police Station.

The case was registered under eight non-bailable sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, including Section 64 for rape, Section 64(2) for repeatedly committing rape on the same woman, Section 64(f) for rape by a person in a position of trust, Section 64(h) for rape on a woman knowing she is pregnant, and Section 64(m) for repeated rape on the same woman.

It also includes Section 89 of the BNS for causing miscarriage without a woman's consent, BNS 316 for criminal breach of trust, and Section 68(e) of the Information Technology Act relating to transmission of offensive digital content. The offences cumulatively carry punishments ranging from ten years to life imprisonment.

Congress Expelled Him

The Congress party which had earlier suspended Mamkoottathil, expelled him last week. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Sunny Joseph announced his expulsion on December 4. Earlier, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan had slammed the Congress for shielding the expelled leader despite knowing of his alleged "severe sexual perversion" and shocking rape allegations. Vijayan questioned why a leader with such horrifying evidence was once projected as Congress's "future investment."

More Allegations From Party Colleague

Meanwhile, another woman, a Congress member, has also forward with a similar sexual harassment allegation against Mamkootathil apart from the other two women. Ma Shahana, General Secretary of Samskara Sahithi, the cultural and literary wing affiliated with the Congress, stated that she had cautioned Congress leader Shafi Parambil against appointing Rahul Mamkoottathil as the state president of Youth Congress.

Shahana mentioned that her objection stemmed from her own experience of receiving inappropriate messages from Mamkoottathil. She mentioned that she had specifically cautioned senior Congress leaders against elevating him and had even warned that young women joining the organisation might face the risk of being exploited.

ALSO READ: Kerala High Court Stays Arrest Of Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil In Rape Case