Expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil was arrested in connection with a sexual assault case from a Palakkad hotel around Saturday midnight and brought to Pathanamthitta, police sources said.
Besides two sexual assault cases registered against the Palakkad MLA, police said a third sexual assault case was recently registered following a complaint filed by a native of Pathanamthitta district. The Special Investigation Team, which is probing the two previous cases, has also been entrusted with the investigation of the latest case, sources said.
Arriving at a government hospital on Sunday for a medical examination, Mamkootathil faced protests by a large number of activists of Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and Yuva Morcha, the youth wings of the CPI (M) and the BJP respectively, who gathered around the police vehicle, waved their flags, demanding stern action against him.
Police personnel had to use force to disperse the protesters and escorted Mankootathil into the hospital amid heavy security.
The Palakkad legislator was taken to the hospital after being questioned for several hours at a police camp in the district.
The Kerala High Court had earlier granted Mamkootathil interim protection from arrest in the first case, which relates to allegations of rape and forcing a woman to undergo an abortion. In the second case, a sessions court in Thiruvananthapuram had granted him anticipatory bail.
Also Read: Kerala HC extends interim protection to ex-Palakkad MLA
According to sources, the third complainant is a married woman currently living in Canada, who became acquainted with Mamkootathil following issues in her marital life.
She told the police that Mamkootathil allegedly raped her after promising to marry her, and when she became pregnant, he allegedly refused to take responsibility and threatened her to undergo an abortion.
The victim gave her statement to the police via video conference.
Mamkootathil would be produced before the court later, police said.
Mamkootathil had successfully contested the by-election from Palakkad last year after Congress leader Shafi Parampil, who had earlier represented the constituency, won the Lok Sabha by-poll from Vadakara in Kozhikode district. However, following the allegations, the Congress expelled Mamkootathil from the party.
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