T’PURAM/P’THITTA: Tightening the noose around disgraced MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, the police on Friday constituted a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the sexual harassment charges against him, even as the crime branch raided the houses of his aides in Adoor in connection with the fake voter ID card allegedly used in the Youth Congress elections.
The move has left the Congress in an unenviable position. After suspending Rahul from the primary membership in connection with the sexual harassment allegations, the party is not bound to, rather cannot, defend him in the first instance.
But the Congress cannot wash its hands off the fake voter ID issue as it would strike at the very root of the credibility of the party’s organisational elections.
A highly-placed source said the SIT was formed to conduct "a comprehensive" probe on the sexual abuse allegations. The team will be headed by crime branch DySP S Shaji, while an inspector from the cyber wing has been tasked with recovering digital evidence pertaining to the case. If need arises, the number of SIT members will be raised further, the source said.
The police have so far received more than 15 complaints against Rahul from various political parties and individuals. However, none of the victims has officially lodged a complaint.
The SIT will be reaching out to the victims, who have identified themselves on media, to ascertain whether they are willing to pursue legal routes against Rahul. If they react positively, the SIT will record their statements and register fresh cases. The probe into the sexual harassment allegations was earlier assigned to the crime branch. The decision was taken after the police assessed that Rahul had committed offences, going by the complaints they received.
Fake ID case: Rahul told to appear before CB today
A case was registered against Rahul for allegedly stalking women on social media and threatening a woman to terminate her pregnancy, invoking BNS sections 78 (2) (stalking a woman), 351 (criminal intimidation) and Kerala Police Act 120 (O) (causing annoyance through any means of communication).
Rahul, staying at his Adoor residence ever since the sexual harassment allegations against him surfaced, has already been served a notice to appear before the crime branch on Saturday in connection with the fake ID case. Rahul’s name figured in audio recordings recovered during the probe, which led to him being summoned again, sources said. They said Rahul’s name was mentioned in a conversation recovered from the mobile phone of the third accused, Abhinand V M. Currently, seven persons have been arraigned as accused in the case.