Kerala MLA held in 3rd rape case; Congress washes hands of him

KOCHI/THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, 36, was arrested Sunday and remanded successful judicial custody successful a 3rd rape case, capping a melodramatic constabulary cognition pursuing CM Pinarayi Vijayan's intervention. Police said the Palakkad MLA utilized his presumption to sexually maltreatment women. A tribunal sent him to jailhouse aft Kerala constabulary transgression subdivision investigators said helium could intimidate complainants, power witnesses and destruct evidence. Congress connected Sunday distanced itself from the MLA, with enactment elder K Muraleedharan saying Mamkootathil had been removed aft the allegations surfaced. "After that, helium is nary longer our responsibility, and the enactment is not answerable for anything," helium said. The latest lawsuit stems from an alleged battle connected a 31-year-old pistillate astatine a edifice successful Thiruvalla connected April 8, 2024. The apprehension followed what constabulary sources described arsenic urgent directions from Vijayan aft the complainant sent a dependable connection connected Jan 8 expressing fearfulness for her family. Police dropped plans to hold for her instrumentality from overseas for a magistrate's statement. The authorities constabulary main approved the cognition astir 8pm Saturday, and officers moved rapidly to pre-empt a bail bid.

Crime subdivision units successful Kollam and Pathanamthitta registered a lawsuit and said Mamkootathil refused to unlock his phone. Police seized the device, conducted a potency exam, and collected humor for DNA testing. Officers arrested him astatine 12.30 americium astatine a edifice successful Palakkad, took him to Pathanamthitta's equipped reserve campy for questioning, recorded the apprehension astatine 7.30 am, and produced him successful court.