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The Kerala Police Crime Branch has arrested expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil in connection with an alleged rape case, following a fresh complaint filed against him.
Police said the Palakkad MLA was taken into custody from a hotel in Palakkad late on Saturday night and was later brought to the AR Camp in Pathanamthitta for questioning. After interrogation, he will be produced before the Thiruvalla Judicial Magistrate's Court. On December 12, the investigation into the first alleged rape case against Mamkootathil was transferred to the State Police Crime Branch following an official order. The case was earlier handled by the Thiruvananthapuram City Police Commissioner. With the transfer, both rape cases registered against the expelled Congress MLA are now being supervised by Assistant Inspector General of Police Poonguzhali, who was already heading the probe into the second case. Police have registered the case based on a complaint by a woman who alleged sexual assault, rape on the promise of marriage and forced abortion. The First Information Report (FIR) was initially registered at the Nedumangad Valiyamala Police Station and later transferred to the Nemom Police Station, as the alleged incidents occurred within its jurisdiction. Earlier, on December 6, the Kerala High Court had stayed Mamkootathil's arrest while considering his anticipatory bail plea. A bench led by Justice K Babu directed that detailed arguments would be heard, and the matter was scheduled for further hearing on December 15. Mamkootathil approached the High Court after the Thiruvananthapuram Principal Sessions Court rejected his anticipatory bail application. The case registered against him includes multiple non-bailable offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. These include Section 64 for rape, Section 64(2) for repeatedly committing rape on the same woman, Section 64(f) for rape by a person in a position of trust, Section 64(h) for rape on a woman knowing she is pregnant and Section 64(m) for repeated rape. The case also includes Section 89 of the BNS for causing miscarriage without a woman's consent, Section 316 for criminal breach of trust, and Section 68(e) of the Information Technology Act for transmission of offensive digital content. The offences cumulatively carry punishments ranging from ten years to life imprisonment. (ANI)
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