Activist Rahul Easwar, who was arrested in the case, was recently granted bail after remaining in jail for over two weeks
A court on Friday granted anticipatory bail to Congress leaders Sandeep Varier and Ranjitha Pulikkan in connection with an online defamation case related to a woman on whose complaint Rahul Mamkootathil, the expelled Congress MLA, was booked for rape and forced abortion.
The Thiruvananthapuram District and Principal Sessions Court Judge Nazeera S. allowed the petitions filed by Mr. Varier, a Congress leader, and Ms. Pulikkan, the Pathanamthitta district secretary of the Mahila Congress.
The Thiruvananthapuram Cyber police had registered the case against activist Rahul Easwar, Ms. Pulikkan, lawyer Deepa Joseph, Mr. Varier and a vlogger from Palakkad.
Though Mr. Easwar was arrested in the case, he was recently granted bail after remaining in jail for over two weeks.
In his petition, Mr. Varier said he did not defame the woman and that people had merely shared photographs of the woman’s marriage function, which he had posted on his Facebook page last year.
Ms. Pulikkan also maintained that she did not defame the woman and that the allegations against her were false.
After hearing the prosecution and the petitioners, the court, in separate orders, granted anticipatory bail to the duo.
Published – December 19, 2025 11:36 pm IST
