Expelled Congress MLA from Kerala’s Palakkad, Rahul Mamkootathil, was arrested in the early hours of Sunday in connection with a third rape complaint, further deepening the legal and political crisis surrounding him. He was taken into custody from a hotel late at night and questioned by a Special Investigation Team, marking a major escalation in the series of allegations against the young legislator.
Police said Mamkootathil was detained around 1 am in Palakkad and later shifted to a police camp in Pathanamthitta district, where a six-member Special Investigation Team led by a Deputy Superintendent of Police conducted preliminary questioning. After the initial interrogation, his formal arrest was recorded, and officials confirmed that he would be produced before a court later on Sunday.
The latest case stems from a complaint filed by a woman from Pathanamthitta district who is currently living in Canada. Her statement was recorded through video conferencing. According to police sources, the complainant, who is married, alleged that Mamkootathil sexually assaulted her after promising to marry her. She further claimed that he later refused to take responsibility when she became pregnant, pressured her to undergo an abortion, and threatened her. The woman also alleged that he took money from her on several occasions.
The investigation into this third complaint has been handed over to the same Special Investigation Team that is already probing two earlier sexual assault cases against Mamkootathil. The head of the SIT, G Poonguzali, reached the police camp on Sunday morning and personally supervised the interrogation process.
The arrest comes just days after the Congress party expelled Mamkootathil from its primary membership, citing the seriousness of the criminal cases and multiple internal complaints. The decision was announced by Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Sunny Joseph, as pressure mounted on the party following the growing number of allegations against the former Youth Congress state president.
Mamkootathil’s political troubles had intensified earlier when a Kerala court rejected his anticipatory bail plea in the first rape case. That case was registered after a woman submitted a complaint directly to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who forwarded it to the state police chief. The police booked the MLA on charges including rape and coercion to terminate a pregnancy. Investigators also examined an audio recording allegedly featuring Mamkootathil, in which he was reportedly heard expressing a desire for a child before later pressuring the woman to abort.
In the second case, registered by the Crime Branch, a 23-year-old woman accused Mamkootathil of sexually assaulting her at a private accommodation after repeatedly contacting her with promises of marriage. She alleged that he exploited his political position and influence and described him as a sexual predator. In that case, a sessions court in Thiruvananthapuram had granted him anticipatory bail.
Following the rejection of his bail plea in the first case, celebrations reportedly broke out in Palakkad, with activists of the CPI(M)’s youth wing, the Democratic Youth Federation of India, bursting crackers and distributing sweets, reflecting the charged political atmosphere surrounding the case.
Mamkootathil had earlier stepped down as Youth Congress state president after Malayalam actress Rini Ann George accused a “young leader” of inappropriate behaviour, an allegation that triggered protests by the BJP and the DYFI. Subsequently, several other women and a transgender person also came forward with complaints, significantly widening the scope of scrutiny against him.
Although the Kerala High Court had earlier granted Mamkootathil interim protection from arrest in the first case, police surveillance continued. Sources said officers reached the hotel where he was staying at around 12.45 am on Sunday, leading to his detention shortly thereafter.
Reacting to the developments, Palakkad District Congress Committee president A Thankappan stated that Mamkootathil no longer had any association with the party and said it was up to him to decide whether he would resign as an MLA. The BJP, however, accused the Congress of protecting him, with senior leader P K Krishnadas alleging that the party had failed to demand his resignation despite the gravity of the charges.
Kerala General Education Minister V Sivankutty said there were numerous complaints against Mamkootathil and asserted that no individual accused of criminal offences would be shielded. He cited several high-profile arrests made during the tenure of the Pinarayi Vijayan government to underline what he described as the administration’s impartial approach to law enforcement.
Mamkootathil was elected to the Kerala Assembly in a by-election last November from Palakkad, following Shafi Parambil’s election to the Lok Sabha from Vadakara. His swift rise in state politics has now been overshadowed by serious criminal investigations and decisive disciplinary action by his own party.
