Expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil faces third sexual assault case, taken into custody | Today News

Expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil was taken into custody in connection with a sexual assault case from Palakkad around Saturday midnight, police sources told news agency PTI on Sunday said.

He was shifted to a police camp in Pathanamthitta, Kerala, on Sunday morning, officials added.

Police were quoted as saying that a third sexual assault case was recently registered against Palakkad MLA following a complaint filed by a native of the district.

Sources said the Special Investigation Team, which is probing two other cases of a similar nature against him, has also been entrusted with the investigation of the latest case.

Mamkootathil, who was staying at a hotel in Palakkad, was taken into custody at midnight and brought to Pathanamthitta.

His formal arrest is likely to be recorded later, police said.

The Kerala High Court had earlier granted interim protection from arrest to Mamkootathil in the first case, which relates to allegations of rape and forcing a woman to undergo an abortion.

Justice A Badharudeen listed the matter for hearing on January 21 and extended, till then, the interim relief given to Mamkootathil, PTI reported on January 7.

In the second case, a sessions court in Thiruvananthapuram had granted him anticipatory bail.

A trans woman had also reportedly claimed that Kamkootathil had once told her in a message that he “wanted to rape" her.

“I think he is sexually frustrated because he said he wants to rape me. He said we can go to Bengaluru or Hyderabad and do it," she had claimed, Onmanorama reported.

The allegation came after actress Rini Ann George and writer Honey Bhaskaran accused Rahul of inappropriate behaviour. George had accused "a young leader" of a well-known political party of misbehaviour.

Without taking Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil's name earlier, she alleged that a prominent youth leader from a well-known political party in Kerala sent her inappropriate text messages.

According to the Hindustan Times, Rini addressed the media in Kochi on Wednesday and claimed, “I came in contact with the politician through social media."

"His inappropriate behaviour began three years ago, when I first received objectionable messages from him. When I threatened to expose him, he said, you go tell anyone...who cares?," she was quoted as saying.

Following the allegations, the Congress expelled Mamkootathil from the party.

Mamkootathil, who had gone into hiding after the police registered the first case of sexual assault and forced abortion against him, returned after the High Court granted him interim relief on December 6, 2025.

He appeared in Palakkad to cast his vote in the local body elections on December 11, 2025. He was expelled from the party on December 4 last year.