THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 6: The Kerala High Court has stayed the arrest of Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, who has been evading authorities in a serious rape case.
The court, led by Justice K Babu, will hear detailed arguments on his anticipatory bail application on December 15.
Mamkootathil approached the High Court after the Thiruvananthapuram Principal Sessions Court denied his earlier plea, and he has now been absconding for ten days.
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Mamkootathil, a suspended Congress MLA, has also been expelled from the party following the serious allegations and the cases registered against him.
The case was filed following a woman’s complaint accusing the MLA of rape under the pretext of marriage, sexual assault, and forced abortion.
The FIR was initially lodged at Nedumangad Valiyamala Police Station but later transferred to Nemom Police Station, as the alleged offences occurred within its jurisdiction.
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Authorities have registered charges under eight non-bailable sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, including:
- Section 64 for rape
- Section 64(2) for repeated rape on the same woman
- Section 64(f) for rape by a person in a position of trust
- Section 64(h) for rape of a pregnant woman
- Section 64(m) for repeated rape on the same woman
Additional sections include BNS 89 for causing miscarriage without consent, BNS 316 for criminal breach of trust, and Section 68(e) of the IT Act for transmitting offensive digital content.
The offences carry penalties ranging from 10 years to life imprisonment, highlighting the gravity of the allegations.