TVM court declines to prevent Rahul Mamkootathil's arrest in second rape case

The Sessions Court, Thiruvananthapuram, on Saturday, refused to prevent the arrest of Kerala MLA Rahul Mamkootathil in the second rape case filed by the Crime Branch based on a complaint forwarded by the KPCC president Sunny Joseph. Sessions Court Judge V Anas posted the case for further hearing on Monday. The court also sought a report from the prosecution regarding the case. 

According to the petition filed by Rahul's counsel Sekhar G Thampi, the allegation was politically motivated. There was a delay of two years in reporting the offence. The defence also asked why the complainant approached the KPCC president instead of directly filing a complaint with the police.

Rahul said in the petition that he was ready to cooperate with the investigation under any condition imposed by the court. "The complainant cited vague reasons for not filing the complaint with any law enforcement authority. Besides, the email doesn't give any information against the victim or the date of occurrence, place of occurrence," Rahul said in the petition.

The court, while considering the petition, asked the prosecution if the complaint was politically motivated and why the complaint wasn't directly filed with the State Police Chief. 

The Sessions Court order came on the same day when the High Court single bench granted Rahul interim protection from the arrest in the first case registered at Nemom police station. With the Sessions Court not preventing his arrest, Crime Branch has no legal impediment to take Rahul into custody. He has been on the run for the past 10 days. The Crime Branch registered a case of rape against Rahul after the State Police Chief forwarded the complaint received by the KPCC president.