Expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil was arrested by Kerala Police in a new rape case, sparking protests by BJP workers. He was taken into custody from a Palakkad hotel and brought to Pathanamthitta for questioning and a medical exam.
MLA Arrested Amid Protests
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers staged a protest on Sunday as expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil was brought to the Pathanamthitta General Hospital for a medical examination. Mamkootathil was being examined following his arrest by the Crime Branch of Kerala Police in connection with a rape case, based on a fresh complaint lodged against him.
As this happened, the Kerala Police arrested expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil in connection with an alleged rape case. Police said the Palakkad MLA was taken into custody from a district hotel late on Saturday night and later brought to the AR Camp in Pathanamthitta for questioning.
Details of the Allegations and Legal History
Meanwhile, the Pathanamthitta Magistrate Court has remanded Mamkootathil to judicial custody for 14 days after the police arrested him from Palakkad based on a fresh sexual assault complaint received via email. The third complaint includes serious allegations such as physical assault, financial exploitation, and forced abortion.
In the first sexual assault case, the High Court had stayed Rahul's arrest, while a trial court had granted anticipatory bail in the second case.
Investigation Transferred to Crime Branch
On December 12, the investigation into the first rape case against Mamkootathil was transferred to the State Police Crime Branch following an official order. The case was previously handled by the Thiruvananthapuram City Police Commissioner.
With the transfer, both rape cases registered against the expelled Congress MLA are now being supervised by Assistant Inspector General of Police Poonguzhali, who was already heading the probe into the second case.
Charges Filed Under BNS
Police have registered the case based on a complaint by a woman who alleged sexual assault, rape on the promise of marriage and forced abortion. The First Information Report (FIR) was initially registered at the Nedumangad Valiyamala Police Station and later transferred to the Nemom Police Station, as the alleged incidents occurred within its jurisdiction.
The case registered against him includes multiple non-bailable offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. These include Section 64 for rape, Section 64(2) for repeatedly committing rape on the same woman, Section 64(f) for rape by a person in a position of trust, Section 64(h) for rape on a woman knowing she is pregnant and Section 64(m) for repeated rape. The case also includes Section 89 of the BNS for causing miscarriage without a woman's consent, Section 316 for criminal breach of trust, and Section 68(e) of the Information Technology Act for transmission of offensive digital content"
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