Thiruvananthapuram: Congress MP Kodikunnil Suresh on Thursday backed Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkoottathil who is facing sexual harassment charges over allegedly sending obscene messages to some women. He accused the police of registering false case against the suspended Congress member without receiving any complaint or finding evidence. 

“FIR lodged by the Crime Branch against Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil was a "false case" and will not stand in court,” he said.

The Congress MP from Mavelikkara also questioned how the police or the state government could lodge a case against the MLA when there was no written complaint against him by anyone.

"It is a false case without any complaint or any evidence. It will not stand in court," he told reporters here.

He further stated that Mamkootathil will pursue the case legally to obtain justice for himself.

A case was registered against Mamkootathil on Wednesday by the Kerala police for various offences, including stalking and harassing women on social media.

The FIR was registered under sections 78(2) (stalking) and 351 (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and section 120 (o) (causing, through any means of communication, a nuisance of himself to any person by repeated or undesirable or anonymous call, letter, writing, message, e-mail or through a messenger) of the Kerala Police Act.

Mamkootathil had recently quit as Youth Congress state president after Malayalam actress Rini Ann George accused a young leader of a prominent political party of misbehaviour, triggering protests by the BJP and DYFI, the CPM's youth wing. He was also facing an internal party probe.

Subsequently, several women and a transgender person came forward with similar allegations.

Following the release of audio clips of a purported conversation between the MLA and a woman, the Congress suspended him from the party's primary membership.