Kerala police merge rape probes against MLA Mamkootathil

Kerala Police have consolidated the two rape case investigations against Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil under a single Crime Branch team, aiming to streamline evidence collection and avoid duplication in two overlapping and sensitive cases. The unified probe is being led by Assistant Inspector General (AIG) G. Poonguzhali, who has begun recording statements from both complainants and examining digital evidence such as call records and phone location data.

The cases involve two separate complaints of sexual assault. In the first, a woman from Kerala has accused Mamkootathil of rape and forcing her to undergo an abortion. The second case was filed by a 23-year-old woman from Bengaluru, who has accused the MLA of raping her after they developed a connection. Investigators found that both complaints may involve common digital and circumstantial evidence, which prompted the decision to bring the cases under one specialised Crime Branch unit.

Key legal developments have unfolded in parallel with the investigation. In the second case, the Thiruvananthapuram Principal Sessions Court granted the MLA anticipatory bail on December 10, observing that there was no prima facie evidence at this stage and noting inconsistencies in the complainant’s statements. The Kerala government has challenged this decision in the High Court, arguing that the lower court failed to fully consider the seriousness of the allegations. In the first case involving rape and forced abortion, the Kerala High Court has granted interim protection from arrest, with a final decision on his anticipatory bail plea expected soon. As a result of these court orders, Mamkootathil has not been arrested in either case so far.

Rahul Mamkootathil belonged to the Indian National Congress until December 4, when the party expelled him following the allegations. Congress leaders described the charges as serious and stated that the legal process should proceed without political influence. After his expulsion, Mamkootathil continues to serve as an Independent MLA from Palakkad. He briefly appeared in public on December 11 to cast his vote in the local body elections, telling reporters that the cases were before the courts and that he would defend himself through legal means.

With both cases now being handled by a unified Crime Branch team and the High Court set to hear key petitions related to his bail, the investigation is expected to intensify in the coming days.