CM Pinarayi Vijayan Accuses Congress of Sheltering Rahul Mankootathil in Rape Case

Thrissur: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has alleged that the Congress party leadership provided a ‘protective shield’ and a hideout for Rahul Mankootathil, who is facing a rape case, after the High Court temporarily stayed his arrest. The Chief Minister made these statements during a ‘Meet the Press’ event in Thrissur, emphasizing that the High Court’s interim order is a natural part of judicial proceedings.

Addressing the media, Chief Minister Vijayan stated, “While an anticipatory bail application is pending in court, it is generally not an impediment to an arrest. However, the prevailing practice in Kerala is to await the court’s decision. Currently, an anticipatory bail application has been filed before the High Court, which has accepted it and scheduled a date for the hearing. This is the normal procedure. But in this specific instance, the court has explicitly ordered against an arrest. This is indeed part of the court’s process.”

The Chief Minister further asserted that the Congress leadership is fully aware of Mankootathil’s whereabouts and urged them to cooperate with the police. “It is true that the police have not yet been able to locate Rahul. However, it is incorrect to claim that the police are intentionally avoiding his arrest. It was his colleagues, who are Congress workers and leaders at various levels, who provided the necessary assistance for him to go into hiding. This is why a significant protective network was established for him, even outside the state. They are the ones who know where Rahul is. The Congress created the protective shield for Rahul to evade capture, and there is still leadership backing him,” Pinarayi Vijayan added.