Rahul Mamkootathil Granted Bail in S*xual Assault Case: Everything You Need To Know About the 3 FIRs Against Palakkad MLA

Kochi, February 12: The Kerala High Court on Thursday, February 12, granted anticipatory bail to expelled Congress leader and Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil in the first of three s*xual assault cases registered against him. Justice Kauser Edappagath, while allowing the plea, observed that the prosecution had not sufficiently established the necessity for custodial interrogation at this stage. The court further noted that the evidence presented, including private communications, prima facie suggested a consensual relationship rather than coercion, though it emphasised that these findings are subject to trial.

The Details of the First Case Against Rahul Mamkootathil

The first case against the legislator was registered by the Nemom Police in Thiruvananthapuram. The complainant, a married woman, alleged that Mamkootathil had subjected her to s*xual assault and subsequently forced her to undergo a miscarriage (abortion) without her consent. Rahul Mamkootathil Arrested: Kerala MLA Taken Into Custody After Third S*xual Assault Complaint.

The MLA was charged under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including:

• Section 64(2): Rape under specific circumstances.

• Section 89: Causing miscarriage without a woman's consent.

• Section 66(E) of the IT Act: Violation of privacy.

In his defence, Mamkootathil admitted to a relationship but maintained it was entirely consensual, a claim the High Court found plausible based on WhatsApp records showing an "intense personal relationship" and the woman's apparent voluntary request for medical assistance during her pregnancy.

Stringent Bail Conditions

While the court blocked his arrest, it imposed heavy restrictions to ensure the integrity of the ongoing probe. The conditions include:

• Interrogation: Mamkootathil must appear before the Investigating Officer on February 16 at 10 AM. He may be interrogated for three consecutive days.

• Travel Restrictions: He is barred from leaving the state of Kerala and must surrender his passport.

• Evidence Protection: He was ordered to surrender his mobile phones to the police and is strictly prohibited from contacting the complainant or any witnesses.

• Financial Bond: If the police intend to arrest him after interrogation, he must be released on a bail bond of INR 1 lakh. Kerala MLA Sexual Harassment Case: SIT Conducts Joint Search at Rahul Mamkootathil’s Palakkad Flat.

The Fall of a Rising Star

Rahul Mamkootathil, once a prominent face of the Congress and former president of the Kerala Youth Congress, has faced a rapid political decline since August 2025. Following a string of allegations from multiple women - including a Malayalam actor and the daughter of a former MP - the All India Congress Committee (AICC) officially expelled him in December 2025.

The legislator has been embroiled in three separate FIRs involving similar allegations of "serial s*xual predation," promises of marriage, and financial exploitation. While he has now secured relief in the first two cases, he recently spent 18 days in judicial custody in connection with the third case involving an NRI woman before being granted regular bail in late January.

Current Legal Standing

With today's ruling, Mamkootathil has effectively secured protection from arrest in all current cases filed against him. The investigations, now consolidated under the State Police Crime Branch and supervised by Assistant Inspector General of Police Poonguzhali, continue to move forward as the defence and prosecution prepare for trial.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 12, 2026 03:55 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).