Rahul approached the court against the arrest and the first information report (FIR) filed against him in the third sexual assault case.
Published Jan 17, 2026 | 1:19 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 17, 2026 | 1:19 PM
Rahul Mamkootathil.
Synopsis: On Sunday, 11 January the legislator was arrested following a complaint lodged by a native of Kottayam district on 8 January. He has been charged under Sections 376 (rape) and 506(1) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Thiruvalla Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, on Saturday, 17 January, rejected the bail plea of Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil.
On Friday, 16 January, the court heard the arguments behind closed doors on the request of the prosecution.
Rahul approached the court against the arrest and the first information report (FIR) filed against him in the third sexual assault case.
On Sunday, 11 January the legislator was arrested following a complaint lodged by a native of Kottayam district on 8 January. He has been charged under Sections 376 (rape) and 506(1) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The complainant, a 31-year-old woman from Kottayam currently working in Canada, has alleged that she was raped at a hotel in Thiruvalla on 8 April 2024. In her statement, the woman alleged that Rahul raped her after promising marriage. Similar to the earlier complaints, she claimed that she was forced to undergo an abortion and was humiliated after informing him about her pregnancy.
A team led by the Shoranur Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) detained the MLA from his hotel room when no personal staff were present.
A seven-member Crime Branch team has taken custody of the MLA’s mobile phones as part of the probe. Police sources said that the arrest was formally recorded on Sunday after Rahul was brought to the AR Camp in Pathanamthitta.
G Poonkuzhali IPS, who is leading the Crime Branch team probing the rape allegations, reached the AR Camp at around 6.45 am on Sunday to oversee the investigation. Following the detention, the investigation team formally informed Mamkootathil’s lawyers about the arrest.
The complainant further alleged that the MLA threatened her family members, physically assaulted her, and took a large amount of money from her, which was allegedly used to buy costly watches, footwear and beauty products.
According to her, a DNA test of the foetus was conducted to establish paternity. Police sources said evidence, including details of meetings between the survivor and the MLA, as well as financial transactions, has been collected.
(Edited by Sumavarsha, with inputs from Dileep V Kumar)
