3 months ago
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Palakkad legislator Rahul Mamkootathil, MLA, appeared to look heightened ineligible jeopardy connected Tuesday (February 17, 2026).
A magistrate’s tribunal successful Pathanamthitta has reportedly recorded the sworn deposition of a 23-year-old non-resident Keralite pistillate who had accused Mr. Mamkootathil of raping her successful a homestay aft inviting her to sermon their “prospective marriage”. The magistrate recorded her connection successful camera and nether conception 83 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
Officials said the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing aggregate rape charges against Mr. Mamkootathil was poised to determination the tribunal for the survivor’s statement.
In aboriginal January, the pistillate emailed her ailment to the president of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), Sunny Joseph, MLA, which led to Mr. Mamkootathil’s summary expulsion from the party.
She besides petitioned Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who referred the lawsuit to the State Police Chief Ravada Chandrasekhar. Subsequently, the State Police Crime Branch registered a rape lawsuit and filed a study successful the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Thiruvananthapuram.
Granted bail
Subsequently, Mr Mamkootathil obtained an anticipatory bail from the Thiruvananthapuram District Court. Mr. Mamkootathil’s counsel argued that the narration was consensual and his lawsuit was the unfortunate of a conspiratorial governmental witch hunt. Moreover, the counsel besides “dwelled” connected the “belated” quality of the complaint.
In response, the prosecution argued that fearfulness of societal stigma and familial ostracisation had precluded the subsister from filing a ailment immediately. It has challenged Mr. Mamkooathil’s anticipatory bail successful the Kerala High Court.
The prosecution has accused Mr. Mamkootathil of befriending the subsister connected societal media, coaxing her to the homestay nether the pretext of discussing marriage, and raping her.
Meanwhile, the SIT questioned Mr. Mamkootathil successful different rape and coerced termination of gestation lawsuit against him astatine the Kerala Police Club astatine Peroorkada, Thiruvananthapuram.
Officials said investigators were seeking to retrieve the mobile phones and different integer devices utilized by Mr. Mamkootathil to pass with the complainant.
An authoritative said Mr. Mamkootathil claimed that helium had sold immoderate of the mobile phones oregon exchanged them for the latest models. The High Court, portion granting bail to Mr. Mamkootathil, had ordered him to surrender the devices to investigators, stock passwords with them and cooperate with the probe.
The SIT volition study to the tribunal connected whether Mr. Mamkootathil was cooperating oregon stonewalling the investigation. It could besides attack the proceedings tribunal for cancellation of Mr. Mamkootathil’s anticipatory bail if the accused violates bail conditions.
