Kerala Court Reserves Verdict In MLA Rahul Mamkootathil's Bail Plea In Third Rape Case, Order Likely On January 28

The District and Sessions Court, Pathanamthitta on Saturday (January 24) reserved its verdict in the bail plea of Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil in the third rape case alleged against him.

Sri. N. Harikumar, Sessions Judge, posted the case to Wednesday (January 28) for orders. 

When the matter came up for consideration, the prosecution zealously opposed the bail plea. He submitted that the stage of the investigation was very crucial and that it is still in the nascent stage. Further, it was argued that there was every chance of influencing the witnesses.

The Court had, earlier this week, heard detailed arguments advanced by Senior advocate Sasthamangalam S. Ajithkumar, who appeared for Mamkootathil.

The present complaint against Mamkootathil is made by an NRI woman, who alleged that the incident took place in 2024 in a hotel room in Thiruvalla. She alleged that Mamkootathil befriended her on social media and later, forced her to book a hotel room where he committed rape on her. She has also stated that she became pregnant as a result of the rape and suffered a miscarriage as well.

The MLA is presently implicated in three rape cases preferred by three different women. His anticipatory bail application in the first case is pending before the High Court, which had granted him interim protection from arrest. The de facto complainant in the case has impleaded herself in the case and is opposing the grant of bail.

In the second case, the Sessions Court, Thiruvananthapuram had granted him pre-arrest bail and the State has moved the High Court seeking to cancel the same.

Mamkootathil has been arrested by the police in the third case and has been in judicial custody since January 11. The Thiruvalla Magistrate Court had earlier granted three days' custody to the police for interrogating the MLA. However, the Magistrate denied him bail, noting his antecedents in previous cases and, the probability of influencing witnesses and tampering with evidence.

The bail application is moved by Senior Advocate Sasthamangalam S. Ajithkumar, Advocates Sekhar G. Thampi and Abhilash Chandran.

Case No: B.A. No. 43/2026

Case Title: Rahul B.R. v. State of Kerala