Rape case: Court dismisses expelled Kerala Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil’s bail plea

The Thiruvalla Judicial First Class Magistrate Court on Saturday denied bail to expelled Congress leader and Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil in connection with a third rape case filed against him

Thiruvalla Judicial First Class Magistrate Court Judge Arundhanthi Dileep, while dismissing the bail application filed by the accused MLA, observed that the prosecution’s allegation that the accused is a habitual offender was well-founded. With this, the accused will continue to be under remand in Mavelikkara sub jail.

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In his bail plea, Mamkootathil claimed that his relationship with the woman was consensual. He also contended that proper procedures were not followed during his arrest.

The court heard the arguments on his bail application in-camera on Friday. When the bail plea was taken up for consideration, the prosecution opposed the Magistrate’s Court’s consideration of the case, stating that this was a matter for the Sessions Court to consider. However, the defence informed the court that the Magistrate’s Court could also consider the case, citing the previous order of the high court.

The prosecution argued that the MLA is a habitual offender and is accused in two other rape cases. It also argued that the defendant was a highly-connected person and had the potential to influence the plaintiff and witnesses. It was argued that the plaintiff, who was abroad, faced a threat if she returned to the country, which is why she did not come.

Rahul Mamkootathil was arrested by the police on Sunday from a hotel in Palakkad in connection with a rape case registered on a Thiruvalla-based woman’s complaint that he sexually assaulted her in 2024. Earlier, two rape cases have been registered against him. While the Kerala High Court had stayed his arrest until January 21 in one case, a sessions court in Thiruvananthapuram had granted him anticipatory bail in another case.