High Court Temporarily Stays Rahul Mamkootathil’s Arrest
The Kerala High Court has temporarily stayed the arrest of Rahul Mamkootathil, a prominent figure, in a significant development. Justice K. Babu issued the order, deferring further consideration of the petition to December 15. This decision comes after Mamkootathil approached the High Court, challenging the Thiruvananthapuram Principal Sessions Court’s earlier refusal to grant him anticipatory bail. Rahul Mamkootathil has reportedly been absconding for the tenth consecutive day.
Mamkootathil’s anticipatory bail application was filed following a complaint lodged directly with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on November 27 by a woman and her family. The complaint leveled serious charges against him, including rape, causing pregnancy through sexual assault, and forced abortion. The complainant further alleged that Mamkootathil had recorded private moments on video and subsequently used them to threaten her.
The case against Mamkootathil has been registered under various stringent sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). These include Section 64 for rape, Section 89 for forced abortion, Section 316 for criminal breach of trust, Section 351 for criminal intimidation, Section 329 for trespassing, and Section 116 for causing grievous hurt. Additionally, he faces charges under Section 66E of the Information Technology Act for violating privacy.
In his anticipatory bail plea, Mamkootathil acknowledged having a physical relationship with the complainant but asserted that the relationship was entirely consensual. He contended that the allegations against him were fabricated, politically motivated, and deliberately aimed at damaging his public image.
Mamkootathil has remained untraceable since the registration of the case. The Congress party had previously suspended his membership in August this year, following multiple allegations of sexual harassment made by several women. Two days prior to this High Court development, he was formally expelled from the party. Mamkootathil had also resigned from his position as the chief of the Youth Congress.