Court reserves order on Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil’s bail plea in rape case to January 28

The District and Sessions Court, Pathanamthitta, on Saturday reserved its order on the bail plea of Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil in connection with the alleged rape of an NRI woman.

Sessions Judge N. Harikumar posted the case for orders on Wednesday (January 28, 2026). Meanwhile, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has moved an application seeking an extension of Mr. Mamkootathil’s remand custody.

During the hearing on the bail plea, the prosecution strongly opposed granting bail, arguing that there was a likelihood of the accused influencing witnesses. Mr. Mamkootathil was arrested by the police from Palakkad on January 11.

This is the third rape case registered against the legislator. In the present case, the NRI woman has alleged that Mr. Mamkootathil befriended her through social media and later forced her to book a hotel room, where he allegedly raped her. She has further stated that she became pregnant as a result of the assault and subsequently suffered a miscarriage.

Mr. Mamkootathil is currently facing three rape cases filed by three different women. His anticipatory bail plea in the first case is pending before the Kerala High Court, which had earlier granted him interim protection from arrest. In the second case, the Sessions Court in Thiruvananthapuram granted him pre-arrest bail, against which the State has moved the High Court seeking cancellation.