Thiruvananthapuram,10 March (H.S.):The prosecution on Tuesday told a court in Thiruvananthapuram that Rahul Mankoottathil attempted to intimidate a young woman from Bengaluru who had filed a second sexual assault complaint against him, a day after she recorded her confidential statement before a magistrate. The allegation was raised during the preliminary arguments on a petition filed by the prosecution seeking cancellation of the bail granted to the accused.

Special Public Prosecutor Kallambally Manu informed the court that the accused had allegedly tried to contact the survivor in violation of the conditions imposed while granting him bail. According to the prosecution, the attempt to reach out to the complainant was aimed at threatening her and forcing her to withdraw from the case.

The prosecution argued that the survivor, who had allegedly been subjected to brutal sexual assault, initially approached the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) with her complaint because she feared the accused. It further told the court that Rahul not only violated the bail conditions but also failed to comply with the directions issued by the court when anticipatory bail was granted.

The case pertains to serious allegations that the accused had taken the 21-year-old unmarried woman to a homestay and repeatedly sexually assaulted her, causing physical injuries. When granting bail earlier, the district court had clearly stipulated that the accused should not attempt to contact the survivor under any circumstances.

However, the prosecution stated that Rahul allegedly violated the fifth condition of the bail order by attempting to reach the survivor through a phone call. The woman reportedly informed the police that Rahul had made a WhatsApp call to her on February 17, shortly after she recorded her confidential statement before the court at Nedumangad.

Following the complaint, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) approached the court seeking cancellation of the bail granted to the accused, arguing that the attempt to contact the survivor constituted a clear violation of the bail conditions and an effort to intimidate the victim.

The case is currently being heard by the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court-III in Thiruvananthapuram. The prosecution has urged the court to revoke the bail, stating that allowing the accused to remain free could pose a threat to the survivor and potentially influence the course of the investigation.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman