Thiruvananthapuram, 4 Dec (H.S.): The Sessions Court in Thiruvananthapuram will on Thursday resume the hearing of the anticipatory bail plea filed by Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil in the rape case registered against him. The proceedings, now entering the second day, come after the court conducted an in-camera hearing on Wednesday and posted orders for 1 pm today.
Judge Nazeera S heard the plea behind closed doors on Wednesday after Rahul sought confidentiality, citing concerns over his public life and reputation as a sitting MLA. He argued that open-court proceedings and unrestricted access to sensitive evidence could compromise both his privacy and that of the complainant. The exhibits submitted before the court—photographs, audio clips and other digital materials—were described in his petition as being of a nature that requires strict confidentiality to prevent misuse, including by the media.
Rahul has also filed an interim plea requesting protection from arrest until a final decision is reached on his anticipatory bail petition.
The case was registered by the Nemom police based on a detailed complaint by a woman who alleged that Rahul sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions, coerced her into terminating a pregnancy, and threatened her using allegedly non-consensual recordings. Police have framed serious charges under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including provisions related to rape by a person in a position of authority, rape knowing the woman was pregnant, and repeated sexual assault. He is also booked under sections pertaining to causing miscarriage without consent, criminal intimidation, voluntary harm, and joint criminal liability. In addition, Section 66(E) of the Information Technology Act has been invoked for alleged misuse of private images.
Meanwhile, Rahul’s legal team has submitted additional evidence to the court claiming that the relationship between the MLA and the woman was consensual. The defence produced WhatsApp chats, call records, and photographs of the survivor with her husband, arguing that the abortion was voluntary and that the allegations are fabricated and politically motivated.
Rahul Mamkootathil was suspended from the Congress in August after multiple accusations of sexual misconduct came to light. He was removed from the parliamentary party and relieved of his role as state Youth Congress president. Although he continued to appear at public events, the recent complaint directly submitted to the Chief Minister resulted in the registration of an FIR and accelerated the investigation.
Rahul remains untraceable, and police have intensified efforts to locate the MLA as the court prepares to decide on his plea.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman
