Poonguzhali, previously a key officer in the government's Hema Committee special investigation team, now heads this sensitive probe.
Published Dec 05, 2025 | 8:05 PM ⚊ Updated Dec 05, 2025 | 8:05 PM
SP G Poonguzhali. (Supplied)
Synopsis: The FIR was registered after KPCC President Sunny Joseph forwarded her e-mailed complaint to the police. The team will handle the case carefully, collecting confidential statements and examining circumstantial evidence from the 2023 incident.
SP G Poonguzhali is set to lead the investigation into the second rape case against Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkoottathil. The expert team, including women officers will record the complainant’s statement, who has confirmed via e-mail her willingness to cooperate.
The FIR was registered after KPCC President Sunny Joseph forwarded her e-mailed complaint to the police. The team will handle the case carefully, collecting confidential statements and examining circumstantial evidence from the 2023 incident.
Poonguzhali, previously a key officer in the government’s Hema Committee special investigation team, now heads this sensitive probe.
The case involves serious charges under the BNS and the IT Act, including rape by a person in authority, repeated sexual assault, intimidation, causing miscarriage without consent, and the alleged recording and misuse of private videos.
Meanwhile, Rahul has remained untraceable for nine days as police continue attempts to arrest him. He went into hiding soon after the first case was registered based on a woman’s complaint. Rumours about his detention in Sullia, Karnataka, were later dismissed by officials.
Meanwhile, on Friday, Rahul Mamkootathil approached the Kerala High Court with anticipatory bail application. Bench comprising Justice K Babu is expected to consider the plea.
Rahul in his prayer said that the relationship was consensual and rape allegation was framed against him after estrangement.
On Thursday, minutes after a local court in Thiruvananthapuram rejected rape-accused MLA Rahul Mamkoottathil’s anticipatory bail application, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President Sunny Joseph expelled him from the party’s primary membership.
The rape case was registered against the fugitive MLA on Wednesday, 3 December, based on a complaint by a 23-year-old non-resident Keralite woman. She alleged that the politician had raped her at a resort in Pathanamthitta.
In her complaint emailed to Sunny Joseph, Sonia, Priyanka and Rahul Gandhi, she said Mamkootathil had promised to marry her and even said he wanted a child with her.
Joseph forwarded the complaint to the state police chief, DGP Ravada A Chandrasekhar, after which a Special Investigation Team was formed.
