Kochi, 6 Dec 

The Kerala High Court on Saturday granted interim protection from arrest to expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil in the rape and forced abortion case registered against him. The court has posted his anticipatory bail plea for hearing on 15 December, and until then he will not be arrested.

“Petitioner shall not be arrested during the pendency. Post on 15 December, 2025,” Justice K Babu said in the order. Advocate S Rajeev, appearing for the former MLA, confirmed the court’s decision.

Mamkootathil has been absconding since last week after a woman accused him of rape, exploitation and forcing her to undergo an abortion. On Thursday, a Thiruvananthapuram sessions court had rejected his anticipatory bail plea in the same case.

Meanwhile, a second rape case has also been filed against him based on a separate complaint lodged by a woman from Bengaluru. Police are continuing efforts to trace him.

In his petition before the High Court, Mamkootathil has denied the allegations, claiming that the relationship with the first complainant was consensual. He has told the court that once the relationship had strained, “a complaint was lodged against him”.

He also stated that the woman “was married, but separated from her husband, and in order to ‘save her own skin’ she disowned their relationship”.

The expelled MLA argued that custodial interrogation is unnecessary and assured full cooperation with the investigation if allowed to appear before the police “without any fear of arrest”. He further alleged that the investigation agency is attempting to “mislead the facts” and claimed he has documents to prove his case.

The High Court will decide on his anticipatory bail plea when the matter comes up again on 15 December.