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Kerala MLA Rahul Mamkoottathil booked for sexual assault, forced abortion after woman approaches CM
Congress MLA Rahul Mamkoottathil faces serious allegations including sexual assault and forced abortion after a woman filed a complaint.
Congress MLA Rahul Mamkoottathil has been booked on serious charges including sexual assault, forced abortion, physical assault, criminal intimidation and illegal trespass, after a woman filed a complaint accusing him of abusing her and coercing her into terminating a pregnancy.
The FIR was registered early Friday at Valiyamala Police Station in Thiruvananthapuram, hours after the complainant met Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday to flag her allegations, news agency PTI reported.
Police said the woman’s detailed statement was recorded late into the night at the Thiruvananthapuram Rural Police headquarters by women officers.
(Also Read: Woman submits complaint to CM against suspended Cong MLA Rahul Mamkootathil)
After the session concluded, officials decided to file the case under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Alongside Mamkoottathil, his friend Joby Joseph, a native of Adoor who allegedly supplied abortion pills to the woman, has been named a co-accused. Since the alleged incidents occurred within the Nemom police limits, the case has now been transferred to the Nemom Police Station for further action.
Investigators said a special team under the Thiruvananthapuram City Police Commissioner will probe the matter. Police will move the Thiruvananthapuram Chief Judicial Magistrate Court to record the complainant’s confidential statement. A medical board is also being constituted to examine her health condition as part of the evidence-gathering process, the PTI report reported.
Meanwhile, the MLA has reportedly gone into hiding following the complaint. Police said attempts to contact him have been unsuccessful. Congress leaders in Palakkad claimed Mamkoottathil was seen campaigning for the local body elections in Kannadi until around 4 pm on Thursday, but neither he nor a close aide were spotted after that. Police have begun efforts to trace his location.
Audio evidence emerges
The fresh FIR comes amid the circulation of audio clips and chat messages that surfaced even before the woman officially complained. Based on those initial clips, received by the police via email from third-party individuals, the Crime Branch had previously registered a case.
Two days ago, another purported audio clip emerged in which Mamkoottathil is heard first expressing interest in having a child and later asking the woman to undergo an abortion.
(Also Read: Congress a divided house over question of handling suspended MLA Rahul Mamkootathil)
Mamkoottathil was suspended from the Congress on August 25 as allegations mounted. He had earlier resigned as Youth Congress state president after actress Rini Ann George accused a young leader of misconduct, prompting protests from the BJP and DYFI.
Following that episode, several women and a transgender person also levelled complaints against him. Mamkoottathil was elected MLA in November last year in a bypoll after former Palakkad MLA Shafi Parambil entered the Lok Sabha.
(With PTI inputs)
