Sessions court grants bail to MLA Rahul Mamkootathil in third rape case

A sessions court in Kerala's Pathanamthitta district on Wednesday granted bail to expelled Congress leader and Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil in connection with a third rape case registered against him recently. [Rahul Mamkootathil v State represented by Deputy Police Superintendent].

Principal District and Sessions Judge N Harikumar passed the bail order.

Mamkootathil had approached the sessions court after his bail application was dismissed last week by magistrate court. At the time, the magistrate judge had reasoned that a prima facie case of rape was made out against him.

Mamkootathil was arrested by the police on January 11, 2026 from a hotel in Palakkad in connection with a rape case registered on a Thiruvalla-based woman's complaint alleging him of sexually assaulting her in 2024.

The MLA denied the allegations, stating that his relationship with the complainant was consensual and that he was unaware that the woman was in marital relationship.

He further added that he immediately terminated his relationship with the complainant after he came to know about her marital status. He has argued that the entire case was intended to tarnish his public image.

Following his weekend arrest, he was produced before the trial court for remand, where the police sought his custody for interrogation. He was remanded to three days of police custody, which ended on the evening of January 15.

The magistrate court heard arguments on his bail application on January 16, Friday, in-camera before dismissing the bail plea. Mamkootthil's appeal against this decision has been allowed today, with the sessions court granting him bail.

Mamkootathil faces three sexual assault cases.

In the first rape case, the Kerala High Court recently stayed his arrest and in the second rape case, a sessions court in Thiruvananthapuram granted him anticipatory bail.

Mamkootathil's bail plea in the first rape case is slated to be heard later today by the High Court.

The Congress party had initially suspended his membership in August last year after allegations of sexual misconduct arose against him. Mamkootathil also resigned from his position as Youth Congress Chief.

Later, he was expelled from the Congress Party. However, he continues to be MLA representing the Palakkad constituency.

Senior counsel Sasthamangalam Ajithkumar along with advocate Sekhar G Thampi appeared for Mamkootathil.