Rahul Mamkootathil moves Kerala HC for protection from arrest

Kochi, Dec 5 (PTI) Expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, facing allegations of sexual assault from two different women, on Friday moved the Kerala High Court seeking an interim protection from arrest.

A sessions court in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday rejected his plea for anticipatory bail in the first case of rape and forced abortion registered against him last week.

Subsequently, a second rape case was lodged against him on Wednesday based on the complaint of a second woman, a resident of Bengaluru.

Following the rejecting of his anticipatory bail plea, the Congress, which had suspended him earlier, expelled him from the party.

Mamkootathil, who has been absconding since the registration of the first rape case against him, has claimed in his plea in the High Court that he was innocent and his custodial interrogation was not required.

He has contended that the relationship between him and the first complainant was consensual and when it became strained, a complaint was lodged against him.

The MLA has also claimed that the woman was married, but separated from her husband, and in order to "save her own skin" she disowned their relationship.

In his plea, Mamkootathil has said that he was prepared to explain each and every circumstance of the offences alleged against him and will also cooperate with the probe if he would get an opportunity to appear before the investigating officer without any fear of arrest.

He has also alleged that there is an attempt by the investigation agency to "mislead the facts" and he has got ample documents to establish the same. His plea is likely to be heard by the High Court on Saturday. PTI HMP KH