Rahul Mamkootathil
| Photo Credit: K K Mustafah
The Principal Sessions Court, Thiruvananthapuram, on Wednesday (December 3, 2024) posted the anticipatory bail plea filed by Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil in the rape and coerced termination of pregnancy case for further hearing on Thursday (December 4, 2025).
The court conducted the hearing, which lasted nearly two hours, in camera.
Investigators said the prosecution had sought more time to produce additional materials, including possibly medico-legal certificates, statements from doctors who treated the woman complainant, and preliminary audio forensic analysis reports, to counter the defence’s arguments.
Mr Mamkootathil’s counsel reportedly requested immunity from arrest pending the court’s decision on his client’s anticipatory bail. However, the State-side reportedly remained non-committal. The court was yet to issue any order in response to the defence’s request.
The defence advanced its primary plea that Mr Mamkootathil was the victim of “a political conspiracy.” It argued that the MLA’s relationship with the complainant, a woman acquaintance, was consensual.
The defence denied the prosecution’s charge that the MLA had coerced the woman to consume potent drugs, causing miscarriage against her will. It also submitted that the complainant was legally married and had ingested the abortion pills of her own volition.
The State-side submitted the police’s preliminary investigation report in a sealed cover.
The prosecution reportedly highlighted that the case involves alleged repeated rape by a person in a position of trust and authority, obtaining sexual consent through deceitful means, suspected illegal abortion, causing hurt and precipitating life-threatening complications resulting from the unsafe, unlawful, and compelled administration of potent drugs causing miscarriage, allegedly without prescription or medical supervision.
Officials said the prosecution argued that the investigation was at a nascent stage. If on bail, released the State reportedly claimed, the accused could jeopardise the investigation, using his political heft to intimidate witnesses, destroy evidence and attempt to influence or threaten the “survivor”.
Moreover, the State-side had reportedly accused Mr Mamkootathil of failing to cooperate with the investigation and of remaining incommunicado after the Nemom police registered the case last week.
Moreover, the prosecution reportedly stated that Mr. Mamkootathil’s custodial interrogation was imperative, given the gravity of the charges against the MLA and his accomplices. The State-side said digital evidence, chiefly incriminating voice recordings and text messages, was vital to the case.
Hence, the police had to seize the MLA’s digital devices, including mobile phones, tablets, and computers, to examine audio recordings and text messages, identify the parties involved, and detect any tampering or deception.
The prosecution also reportedly stressed the need for the custodial investigation of Joby Joseph, Mr Mamkootathil’s associate, who allegedly delivered the abortion pills to the woman and ensured that she consumed them, while the MLA allegedly ensured compliance on a video call.
Published – December 03, 2025 04:03 pm IST
