Court reserves order on MLA Mamkootathil’s anticipatory bail plea in second rape case

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 8 (PTI) A court here on Monday reserved its order on the anticipatory bail petition filed by expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil in a second case related to the alleged sexual harassment of a woman.

Thiruvananthapuram Principal District and Sessions Judge Nazeera S heard the petition and said the order would be pronounced on December 10.

Police submitted a report in a sealed cover when the matter came up for consideration.

The present case relates to a woman who had sent an email to the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), alleging that Mamkootathil sexually harassed her.

The complaint was forwarded to the State Police Chief, following which a case was registered.

Earlier, the Kerala High Court directed the police not to arrest Mamkootathil till December 15, while his pre-arrest bail petition in another case — involving allegations of sexual harassment and forced termination of pregnancy — is reconsidered.

Following this, he approached the district court seeking anticipatory bail in the second case.

Police have constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by Assistant Inspector General of Police G Poonguzhali to trace the complainant and record her statement.

Mamkootathil, Palakkad MLA, has not been seen in public since the allegations surfaced. PTI TBA TBA ROH