Daijiworld Media Network - Thiruvalla
Thiruvalla, Jan 17: The Thiruvalla Magistrate Court on Saturday rejected the bail application of expelled Congress legislator Rahul Mamkootathil, delivering a major blow to the former MLA, who has been in custody since his arrest earlier this week in connection with a rape allegation.
With the court refusing bail, Mamkootathil will continue to be lodged at the Mavelikkara sub-jail. His legal team is now expected to approach the Pathanamthitta district court seeking relief.
The prosecution mounted a strong opposition to the bail plea, branding Mamkootathil a “habitual offender” and informing the court that he had previously secured interim protection from the High Court in two similar cases. Prosecutors warned that additional complaints could emerge and argued that releasing him at this stage could jeopardise the ongoing investigation and lead to witness intimidation.
The ruling followed a closed-door hearing held on Friday, during which the court heard detailed arguments from both sides before reserving its order. The proceedings were conducted in camera at the prosecution’s request, citing the sensitive nature of the case.
The magistrate is understood to have relied on a comprehensive report submitted by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is probing the allegations. During the hearing, the prosecution told the court that multiple complaints had been lodged against Mamkootathil and that at least two other sexual assault cases were already pending.
Investigators also informed the court that steps were underway to record the confidential statement of the complainant. As part of the evidence, chat messages allegedly exchanged between the accused and the woman were presented before the court.
The defence countered these claims by asserting that the relationship was consensual. Mamkootathil’s counsel argued that, as a former public representative, he posed no flight risk and would fully cooperate with the investigation if granted bail.
The case has meanwhile sparked a broader controversy. Screenshots of purported WhatsApp conversations between Mamkootathil and the complainant were made public by his friend Fenny Ninan, leading the Pathanamthitta Cyber Police to register a case against Ninan on charges of cyber harassment.
Another Congress worker, Renjitha Pulickal, was also taken into custody for allegedly sharing posts that targeted the complainant.
Mamkootathil was arrested around midnight on January 11 from a hotel in Palakkad. Since then, he has remained in police and judicial custody, with investigators taking him to several locations linked to the case, including a hotel in Thiruvalla and his residence in Pathanamthitta district, as part of the ongoing probe.