Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, expelled from the Congress party amid mounting allegations, was arrested late Saturday night by Kerala Police in connection with a fresh sexual assault complaint. The dramatic midnight operation at a Palakkad hotel marks a significant escalation in the probe, with the politician now facing three serious cases involving rape and coercion.
Midnight raid: Seized from Palakkad hotel hideout
A team of eight officers, including a woman constable and Shoranur Deputy SP, stormed Room 2002 at KPM Hotel around 12:30 am on January 11 (Sunday). Despite Mamkootathil's pleas to consult his lawyer or aides, police swiftly detained him without delay, bundling him into custody. He was transported to a Pathanamthitta police camp by morning, as the Special Investigation Team (SIT) assumes charge of this latest Pathanamthitta woman's FIR.
The complaint, received via email, alleges rape and forced abortion, echoing patterns in prior accusations. The SIT, already handling two similar probes, now consolidates all three for streamlined scrutiny.
Escalating allegations: From rape to coerced abortions
The first case stemmed from a woman's claim of being lured to a resort under marriage pretenses in 2023, only to face assault causing severe injuries; Kerala High Court had granted interim arrest protection. The second, filed after she met Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, detailed repeated exploitation, deceitful marriage promises, coerced pregnancy termination via unprescribed drugs (monitored on video call), verbal abuse, death threats, and IT Act breaches- earning anticipatory bail from a Thiruvananthapuram sessions court.
This third Pathanamthitta case intensifies the narrative of serial misconduct, with voice clips and texts previously leaked online fueling public outrage. An associate, Joby Thomas, stands accused alongside in the second FIR for aiding drug delivery, violating Drugs and Cosmetics Act and MTP regulations.
Congress expulsion and bail battles
Congress suspended Mamkootathil in August 2025 from primary membership and Youth Congress presidency after viral evidence of stalking and predation embarrassed the UDF opposition. Courts have oscillated: Kerala HC adjourned pre-arrest bail pleas amid in-camera witness statements, while earlier stays and bails bought time.
BJP has waded in, with claims of intervening to shield him, adding partisan spice to the saga. As the SIT digs deeper, Mamkootathil's political future hangs by a thread, spotlighting accountability gaps in Kerala's corridors of power.
