Kochi – In a swift intervention, the Kerala High Court has granted temporary relief to expelled Congress legislator Rahul Mamkootathil, halting his arrest in a grave case involving rape and coerced abortion until his anticipatory bail application is fully adjudicated.
Presiding Justice K Babu issued the interim order on Saturday, scheduling the substantive hearing for December 15, 2025. “Petitioner shall not be arrested during the pendency. Post on December 15, 2025,” the court directed, providing Mamkootathil a brief respite from immediate custody.
The decision follows a setback for the MLA earlier in the week, when a sessions court in Thiruvananthapuram denied his anticipatory bail request in the initial rape complaint filed against him last week. That case, lodged by a woman alleging non-consensual relations and a forced termination, prompted Mamkootathil to go into hiding.
Complicating matters, a second sexual assault complaint surfaced on Wednesday, filed by a Bengaluru resident accusing the MLA of similar misconduct. Authorities have yet to detail progress in either investigation, but the dual allegations have intensified scrutiny on the once-prominent politician.
In his High Court petition, Mamkootathil, who has evaded capture since the first FIR, vehemently denies wrongdoing. He asserts his innocence, arguing that custodial questioning is unnecessary and that his interactions with the primary complainant were entirely mutual. According to the plea, the relationship soured amid personal strains, leading to what he describes as a retaliatory accusation. The woman, he claims, is married but estranged from her spouse, and fabricated the charges to shield herself from repercussions.
The MLA further contends that he stands ready to address every allegation head-on, offering full cooperation with investigators provided he faces no arrest threat. He accuses the probing agency of distorting facts and insists he possesses substantial documentation to refute their narrative.
Advocate S Rajeev, representing Mamkootathil, verified the court’s directive to NDTV, underscoring the MLA’s commitment to transparency in the probe.
This development unfolds against a backdrop of political fallout for the Congress, which ousted Mamkootathil from the party shortly after the complaints emerged. As the December 15 hearing looms, the case tests the balance between due process and public demands for accountability in high-profile abuse allegations.
