Kerala Congress legislator Rahul Mamkootathil from Palakkad was expelled from Congress on Thursday (December 4) following serious rape allegations against him. The party had initially suspended him after accusations surfaced in August this year. However, after the court rejected his anticipatory bail application, the party took the final step of terminating his primary membership. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Sunny Joseph confirmed that after thorough investigation into the charges, the party concluded that Rahul could no longer remain part of the organisation.
Allegations and initial accusations
The allegations first came to light when actress Rine N George accused a ;young prominent political leader' of sending obscene messages and calling her to a hotel room. Although she didn’t name the person directly, leaders from BJP and CPI(M) alleged that the accusations pointed to Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil. Following this, multiple women came forward with similar accusations. A leaked audio clip also surfaced, allegedly capturing Mamkootathil coercing a woman to undergo abortion of her unborn child and threatening her with death.
Legal proceedings and FIR details
Based on a complaint by one of the survivors, police have registered an FIR against Mamkootathil for sexual assault and rape on the pretext of marriage, as well as forced abortion. The complaint was initially filed with Nedumangad Valiyamala Police Station but later moved to Nemom Police Station due to jurisdictional reasons. The FIR lists charges under eight stringent sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, including multiple counts of non-bailable rape sections, criminal breach of trust, causing miscarriage without consent, and transmission of offensive digital content under the Information Technology Act. The offenses carry punishments ranging from ten years to life imprisonment.
Police investigation and arrest process
Though allegations emerged in August, the survivor had not appeared in person earlier. The Crime Branch launched a preliminary investigation based on petitions from third parties and traced the woman heard in the leaked audio clips. After a written complaint was submitted to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, he directed senior police officials to act. The police have now begun steps to arrest Rahul Mamkootathil. The MLA has not confirmed or denied if the voice in the audio belongs to him.
Party’s firm stance on accountability
KPCC president Sunny Joseph emphasised the party’s commitment to thorough investigation and swift action to uphold accountability. The expulsion marks the Congress’s resolve to distance itself from members facing serious criminal charges and maintain its image in the face of such grave allegations.
