The Special Investigation Team (SIT) handling the sexual assault allegations against expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil moved the Thiruvalla Judicial First Class Magistrate Court on Monday, requesting seven-day custody of the politician. Investigators argued that with the probe still in its early stages, they need time to interrogate the Palakkad MLA and gather crucial evidence.
After hearing the prosecution’s arguments, the court ordered the police to produce Mamkootathil on Tuesday. A decision on the custody application will be made once he is physically present in the courtroom. Meanwhile, the MLA has moved a bail petition, though the court has deferred its decision until the police file a formal report.
Mamkootathil was picked up by police from a hotel in Palakkad on Sunday and transported to Pathanamthitta. This latest arrest is tied to a third complaint filed by a woman from Kottayam, who alleges she was assaulted at a hotel in Thiruvalla in April 2024. The victim also claimed that when she became pregnant, the MLA threatened her and refused to acknowledge any responsibility.
The legal battle has become increasingly complex for Mamkootathil. While he managed to secure interim protection from the Kerala High Court in the first case until January 21, and won anticipatory bail from a Thiruvananthapuram sessions court in the second, this third case led to his immediate detention on January 8.
Also read: Expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil arrested
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