Police arrest expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil over fresh rape charges

Expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, who faces multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, was arrested in connection with a fresh rape complaint filed by a woman against him.

Rahul Mamkootathil, who was taken into custody from a hotel in Palakkad late on Saturday night, was taken to the Pathanamthitta AR camp. The arrest was then recorded. A police team comprising eight officers, including Shoranur DySP and a woman police officer, reached the KPM Hotel in the heart of Palakkad around midnight on Saturday and took the MLA into custody from his room.

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According to reports, the police team, which arrived at the hotel in two jeeps, upon reaching the premises, first seized the mobile phones of the reception staff before proceeding to the room where the MLA was staying. Mamkootathil, who was initially alone in the room, initially refused to come out, but later complied with the police instructions.

A Crime Branch team is currently questioning Rahul Mamkootathil at an armed reserve camp in Pathanamthitta. The police have indicted Mamkootathil on charges of rape, coerced medical termination of pregnancy, financial extortion, cheating, confidence trickery, illegal detention, and obtaining sexual consent by deceitfully promising marriage.

Mamkootathil, already facing charges of sexual assault based on complaints by two other women, had earlier obtained interim protection from arrest from the court in those cases.
The new case is reportedly based on a complaint received from a woman, a native of Pathanamthitta, via email. The woman is currently abroad. The police recorded the woman’s statement through video conference. It is reported that the woman may return to the country on Monday.

The woman, in her complaint, alleged that Rahul Mamkootathil had sexually harassed her brutally and exploited her financially. The woman revealed that Mamkootathil had met her through social media when she was facing problems in her marriage, had a romantic relationship with her and asked her to get a divorce. He promised to marry her. Rahul said that he wanted a child and that if he had a child, he would agree to the marriage very soon.
The woman, in her complaint, said that Mamkotathil suggested the name of a hotel and told her to book a room there for their stay. As soon as she reached the room, he sexually assaulted her without saying a word. When she told him about her pregnancy, he used obscene language. He also accused her of having someone else’s child. Feeling upset, she agreed to undergo a DNA test. But Mamkootathil refused. The woman also stated in her complaint that she has kept the evidence for this.
On getting the complaint, a special police team spent a week investigating it. Only officers trusted by SIT chief SP Poonguzhali were included in the investigation team. The police probe revealed that the financial transactions, phone call details, chats, and the room they stayed in were all tallying with her statement. The embryo sample reportedly collected by the woman may come as crucial evidence in the case.