NRK woman’s complaint to CMO and sworn video statement led to Mamkootathil’s midnight arrest

The latest case against Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil centres around a complaint filed by a non-resident Keralite woman with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s office. The Crime Branch bolstered the charges against the MLA by procuring a sworn video statement from the victim.

The Crime Branch’s case was that Mr Mamkootathil befriended the victim on social media, won her trust by appearing concerned about her father’s health, counselled her to seek legal separation from her estranged husband and promised marriage.

According to the First Information Report (FIR), Mr Mamkootathil allegedly persuaded the victim to meet him privately at a hotel room in Thiruvalla to discuss marriage. He advised her to avoid the restaurant, noting that selfie seekers would infringe on their privacy.

The FIR stated that Mr Mamkootathil raped the woman in the room and inflicted personal injury, including beatings, humiliating physical and verbal abuse.

The FIR stated that the woman became pregnant shortly. Mr Mamkootathil disowned the victim and allegedly “slut shamed” her by allegedly saying that she was attempting to foist the parentage of some person’s child on her.

The FIR stated that the victim also preserved the dress she wore at the time of sexual assault. The police have moved the court to impound the dress as evidence for forensic examination.

Subsequently, the victim medically terminated her pregnancy at a hospital in her workplace abroad, but preserved the fetus for DNA examination to prove parentage through the country’s medico-legal system. The FIR stated Mr Mamkootathil stonewalled the woman’s requests to send a sample for DNA testing to confirm the child was born out of their union.

However, Mr Mamkootathil reassured the victim that he would marry her and settle in his constituency in Palakkad. The victim told the police that Mr Mamkootathil established a “trauma bond” with her.

The FIR stated that the politician repeatedly demanded money and compelled her to purchase an expensive watch, several pairs of branded, high-end clothing, and high-end footwear. According to Crime Branch officials, the victim has submitted financial transaction records, DNA test results and the dress as evidence to investigators.

They said the victim also produced an electronic record of her contribution of ₹5,000 to the Youth Congress’s Wayanad Rehabilitation “Lucky Draw” contest. Mr Mamkootathil was the organisation’s State President at the time. The FIR stated that Mr Mamkootathil’s close aide, Fenni Ninan, had promised the victim to manipulate the draw to ensure she emerged as the winner.

The FIR stated the woman’s feared of Mr Mamkootathil’s political heft and influence. Also, the mistaken belief that the politician would redeem his promise to marry her precluded her from approaching the police. Moreover, she took time to overcome fears of social ostracism and reputational damage before approaching law enforcement.