The Kerala High Court on Saturday granted interim protection from arrest to expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, who is facing allegations of rape and forced abortion.
Justice K. Babu said the court would hear his anticipatory bail plea on December 15 and directed that he should not be arrested until then. “Petitioner shall not be arrested during the pendency. Post on December 15, 2025,” the order said.
Advocate S. Rajeev, appearing for Mamkootathil, confirmed the court’s direction. The relief comes at a time when the MLA remains named in two separate cases of sexual assault.
A sessions court in Thiruvananthapuram had on Thursday rejected his anticipatory bail plea in the first case, which was registered last week. A second rape case was filed on Wednesday after a complaint by another woman, a resident of Bengaluru.
Mamkootathil has been absconding since the registration of the first case. In his plea before the HC, he maintained that he was innocent and said his custodial interrogation was unnecessary.
He also claimed the relationship between him and the first complainant was consensual, and that the complaint was lodged only after the relationship deteriorated.
The MLA said the woman was married but separated from her husband, and argued that she disowned their relationship “to save her own skin”.
He added that he was prepared to explain “each and every circumstance” related to the offences alleged against him and would cooperate with the investigation if he was allowed to appear before the officer without fear of arrest.
Mamkootathil also alleged that the probe team was attempting to “mislead the facts” and said he had documents to prove his claims. The HC will take up his anticipatory bail plea on December 15.