Kerala: MLA Rahul Mamkootathil booked for sexual assault after survivor files formal complaint with CM Pinarayi Vijayan

The Kerala police on Friday, November 28, registered a case against Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, after a woman accused him of sexual assault and forcing her to terminate pregnancy. This is the first formal complaint against Mamkootathil, who was suspended from the primary membership of the Congress party, after multiple women had accused him of sexual harassment.

The case was registered at the Valiyamala Police Station on Friday based on the woman's statement recorded late Thursday.

The complainant had approached Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan with her grievance on Thursday against the suspended Congress legislator.

Her detailed statement was later recorded by woman police officers at the Thiruvananthapuram Rural Police headquarters, sources told PTI.

The procedures continued till late at night, after which a decision was taken to register the case.

According to police sources, the case has been filed under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for sexual assault on the false promise of marriage, forced abortion, and criminal intimidation.

Police will approach the Thiruvananthapuram Chief Judicial Magistrate Court to record the confidential statement of the complainant.

A team of doctors will soon assess the medical condition of the woman, sources added.

Meanwhile, Mamkootathil has reportedly gone into hiding after the woman approached the chief minister. Police have begun efforts to trace him.

Congress leaders in Palakkad said Mamkoottathil was actively campaigning in the Kanadi area for local body elections till around 4 pm on Thursday, after which he and a close associate were not seen.

Earlier, the Crime Branch had registered a case based on audio clips and chat messages that surfaced after third-party individuals sent an email to the police headquarters, as the woman had not come forward at the time.

Two days ago, another audio clip was released, in which the MLA purportedly expressed his desire for a child but later urged the woman to undergo an abortion.

Mamkoottathil was suspended from the primary membership of the Congress on August 25.

He had earlier resigned as Youth Congress state president after Malayalam actress Rini Ann George accused a young leader of misbehaviour, prompting protests by the BJP and the DYFI, the youth wing of the CPI(M).

Subsequently, several women and a transgender person also levelled allegations against him.

With PTI inputs