Congress MLA Faces Serious Sexual Assault Allegations
In a significant development in Kerala politics, suspended Congress legislator Rahul Mamkoottathil has been formally charged with multiple serious offenses including sexual assault and forcing a woman to terminate her pregnancy. The case was officially registered at the Valiyamala Police Station in Thiruvananthapuram during the early hours of Friday, marking a dramatic escalation in the ongoing controversy surrounding the politician.
Detailed Allegations and Police Investigation
The complainant initially approached Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan with her grievance on Thursday, following which women police officers at the Thiruvananthapuram Rural Police headquarters recorded her detailed statement. The investigative procedures continued late into the night, ultimately resulting in the decision to file formal charges.
According to the First Information Report (FIR), Mamkoottathil allegedly assaulted the woman and raped her on multiple occasions. The document reveals disturbing details including an incident on March 17 where the woman's private videos were recorded at her apartment, with Mamkoottathil allegedly threatening to release them publicly if their relationship became known.
The FIR further states that despite knowing about her pregnancy, the accused allegedly raped her again at her apartment on April 22. Subsequently, during the last week of May, he allegedly assaulted her over two consecutive days at his Palakkad apartment.
Abortion Allegations and Legal Charges
The case took a more serious turn with allegations that Mamkoottathil forced the woman to undergo an abortion. On May 30, the second accused, Joby Joseph—described as a close associate of Mamkoottathil—allegedly provided abortion pills to the complainant inside a car. Mamkoottathil then reportedly compelled her to consume these pills to terminate the pregnancy.
Police have invoked multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita including:
- Section 64(2)(f) - rape by a person in a position of trust or authority
- Section 64(2)(h) - rape knowing the woman is pregnant
- Section 64(2)(m) - repeated rape on the same woman
- Section 89 - causing miscarriage without consent
- Section 115(2) - voluntarily causing hurt
- Section 351(3) - criminal intimidation
- Section 3(5) - joint criminal liability
Additionally, Section 66(E) of the Information Technology Act has been applied for the alleged recording and threat of misusing private images.
Political Fallout and Current Status
Both Mamkoottathil and Joseph are currently absconding, with police efforts to locate them proving unsuccessful so far. A special investigation team has been constituted to handle the case, and authorities have issued a lookout circular to prevent the accused from leaving the country.
In response to the allegations, Mamkoottathil filed an anticipatory bail petition at the Thiruvananthapuram District and Principal Sessions Court on Friday. In his petition, he claimed the allegations are fabricated and politically motivated. He stated that their relationship began through Facebook and involved consensual sex, while denying both impregnating the woman and forcing her to undergo abortion.
The court is scheduled to consider the anticipatory bail petition on Monday. Meanwhile, the complainant's confidential statement was recorded by a Judicial First Class Magistrate in Neyyattinkara on Friday afternoon.
This isn't the first controversy for Mamkoottathil, who was suspended from the primary membership of the Congress on August 25. He had previously resigned as Youth Congress state president following allegations of misbehavior by Malayalam actress Rini Ann George, which prompted protests by the BJP and DYFI, the youth wing of the CPI(M).
The case has been transferred from Valiyamala police station to Nemom police, who have re-registered the FIR. Congress leaders in Palakkad revealed that Mamkoottathil was actively campaigning in the Kannadi area for local body elections until around 4 pm on Thursday before disappearing with a close associate.
