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A Sessions Court in Kerala on Wednesday, January 28, granted bail to expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil in connection with the third sexual assault case registered against him.
Mamkootathil, who represents Palakkad, had been in judicial custody since January 11 and was lodged at the Mavelikkara sub-jail. Principal District and Sessions Judge N Harikumar allowed the bail plea after the legislator challenged an earlier order of a judicial magistrate’s court, which had denied him relief citing the seriousness of the allegations and his alleged antecedents.
The present case relates to a complaint filed by an NRI woman, who alleged that Mamkootathil befriended her through social media and later coerced her into booking a hotel room, where he allegedly sexually assaulted her. The complainant has further claimed that she became pregnant as a result of the assault and subsequently suffered a miscarriage.
This is the third rape case registered against the expelled MLA, with complaints filed by three different women. The Kerala High Court is also scheduled to consider his anticipatory bail plea on Wednesday, January 28, in the first rape case.
Mamkootathil was initially remanded to 14 days of judicial custody by the Pathanamthitta District Magistrate Court on January 11 following his arrest in the case. A day later, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) approached the Thiruvalla Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, seeking his custody for further interrogation.