High Court grants bail to MLA Rahul Mamkootathil in sexual harassment case
India Today
Although the court noted that the allegations against him did not prima facie establish a case of rape, it imposed strict conditions for his anticipatory bail, including a mandate that he must not leave Kerala.
The Kerala High Court on Thursday granted anticipatory bail to Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil in the first of three alleged sexual assault cases registered against him, as reported by news agency ANI.
Although the court noted that the allegations against him did not prima facie establish a case of rape, it imposed strict conditions for his anticipatory bail, including a mandate that he must not leave Kerala and must surrender both his passport and mobile phone to investigators, while being strictly prohibited from contacting the complainant or influencing witnesses.
The anticipatory bail has also ensured his protection from arrest in all three current cases.
In November 2025, a rape case was registered against Mamkootathil after a woman lodged a complaint with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, after a purported audio recording of a conversation between the two surfaced online.
Chief Minister Vijayan promptly forwarded the complaint to the State Police Chief for necessary action. The case has been filed against the 36-year-old MLA from Palakkad, invoking charges of rape and coercion to terminate a pregnancy under relevant provisions of law.
The allegations wreaked havoc on Mamkootathil's political career as the Indian National Congress, which gave him the ticket to the Palakkad by-election in 2024, suspended his membership. Mamkootathil had long been associated with the party and also served as the president of its youth organisation.
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