Daijiworld Media Network – Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 2: A local court on Monday dismissed the bail petition of activist Rahul Easwar and remanded him to judicial custody till December 15 in a case related to allegedly defaming the complainant in the sexual assault case against MLA Rahul Mamkoottathil.
Thiruvananthapuram Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Elsa Catherine George rejected the bail plea after hearing detailed arguments from both sides. According to the court diary, Easwar, 43, was arrested and produced before the court around 4.30 pm.
“Bail application is filed and detailed arguments are adduced by both sides in open court. Bail application is dismissed vide separate order. For the reasons in the remand report, he is remanded to District Jail, Thiruvananthapuram till December 15,” the diary noted.
Easwar was arrested on Sunday after the Thiruvananthapuram Cyber Police registered a case based on a complaint by the woman who had accused MLA Mamkoottathil of sexual assault. Police said her photograph had been circulated on social media, prompting the FIR.
In his bail plea, Easwar argued that he had not revealed the woman’s identity as alleged, and further claimed that the arrest procedure was flawed, saying the notice was issued moments before he was taken into custody.
Opposing the bail, police submitted that Easwar had a prior history of defaming complainants in similar cases, and produced videos they said showed him making defamatory remarks in past sexual assault matters. After reviewing the materials, the court declined to grant bail.
While being taken to jail, Easwar accused the police of misleading the court. “I will observe a hunger strike in jail. I have not shared the complainant’s photographs. Police have lied before the court,” he told reporters.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Sandeep Warrier filed an anticipatory bail plea before the Thiruvananthapuram District and Principal Sessions Court in connection with the same case. Warrier maintained that he had neither posted the complainant’s image nor revealed her identity, stating that an old marriage photograph from his Facebook page had resurfaced after the incident.
Police said three more individuals have been arraigned in the case as the investigation continues.