Thiruvananthapuram: Even as the probe into the allegations of rape and forced termination of pregnancy against Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkoottathil gathers pace, yet another woman has come forward with serious accusations of sexual assault against the suspended Congress legislator.

A 23-year-old woman filed the fresh complaint with KPCC president Sunny Joseph. In her petition, she stated that Rahul Mamkoottathil took her to a homestay under the pretext of marriage and subjected her to brutal sexual assault. The complaint, received via email on Tuesday afternoon, was immediately handed over to the State Police Chief.

According to the complainant, she had known Rahul for years, and they reconnected on Instagram in September 2023. Their acquaintance soon progressed into a relationship over Telegram, after which he allegedly promised to marry her. When the woman, who had been studying outside Kerala, returned home for vacation, Rahul reportedly visited her along with his friend Fenni Ninan, took her to a homestay and assaulted her.

But when she later demanded that he honour his promise to marry her, Rahul refused and behaved as though nothing had happened. He even contacted her again, asking for another meeting.

“When another girl found the courage to lodge a complaint against Rahul, his aides insulted and attacked her. It was the fear of facing similar mistreatment that kept me from coming out publicly,” the complainant said. She also added that the Crime Branch has already collected details from her.

Police widen search
Even as the controversy surrounding him deepened, the MLA continues to remain in hiding. Though the police launched a search based on information that he had fled to Karnataka, he could not be traced.

Following a tip-off that he had reached a resort owned by a relative of a Congress leader in the Sathyamangalam forest area, a police team inspected the location but found no trace of him. Later, investigators received information suggesting that Rahul had moved to Bengaluru.

Although the car in which he is suspected to have travelled has been located, the MLA remains untraceable. The investigation team has also collected details from the caretaker of the flat at Kunnathurmedu in Palakkad where Rahul had been staying.