Congress expels rape accused MLA Rahul Mamkootathil as court dismisses bail plea
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Congress expels rape accused MLA Rahul Mamkootathil as court dismisses bail plea")
Congress’ Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil Photograph: (X)
The allegations against the Palakkad MLA first came to light after actor Rini Ann George accused a “young prominent politician” of sending her obscene messages and inviting her to a hotel room. She did not name the politician, but BJP and CPI(M) leaders alleged she was referring to the MLA.
The Indian National Congress on Thursday expelled its Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, who has been accused of rape. The party expelled the suspended MLA from primary membership of the party shortly after a Kerala court dismissed the anticipatory bail plea filed by the suspended MLA. His expulsion comes exactly a year after he took oath as the newly elected Palakkad MLA on 4 December 2024, following a by-election to the constituency. KPCC president Sunny Joseph said in a statement on Thursday that the party had reviewed the allegations against him and decided that Mamkootathil could no longer continue in the organisation. “We had sought the approval of the AICC. AICC has approved. Rahul Mamkootathil stands expelled from the Congress party,” said the KPCC president.
Mamkootathil was suspended from the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee in August after he was accused by several women of sexual misconduct.
The allegations against the Palakkad MLA first came to light after actor Rini Ann George accused a “young prominent politician” of sending her obscene messages and inviting her to a hotel room. While the actor did not name the politician, leaders from BJP and CPI(M) alleged she was referring to the Congress MLA.
After George, multiple women raised similar allegations. An audio clip also went viral in which the MLA was purportedly heard asking a woman to abort the baby she was carrying, followed by a threat to kill her.
The MLA denied all allegations against him and stated that the audio clip going viral could have been “manufactured and distorted”.
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Days after these allegations surfaced, a case was filed against the MLA for stalking and harassing women through social media.
His expulsion came after a Kerala court dismissed his anticipatory bail plea in the first rape case, which was registered after a woman lodged a complaint with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The CM forwarded her complaint to the State Police Chief, leading to a case under charges of rape and coercion to terminate a pregnancy.
However, days later, a second rape case was registered by the Crime Branch after a 23-year-old woman submitted a complaint to KPCC President Sunny Joseph.
She alleged that Mamkootathil repeatedly messaged her expressing his desire to marry her and that her family agreed to consider the proposal after he became Youth Congress state president. According to her, he insisted on a private meeting before meeting her family, took her to a homestay-like building, and sexually assaulted her despite her protests. She suffered injuries and described him as a “sexual predator who uses his position.”
Thereafter, several women and a transgender person also levelled allegations against him.
Congress leaders in Kerala welcomed the expulsion of Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkoottathil from the party and urged him to resign from his Assembly seat as well.
