PALAKKAD: The investigation into the sexual assault allegations against Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil intensified on Sunday as a Kerala Police Special Investigation Team (SIT) conducted a detailed search at his apartment in Kunnathurmedu, Palakkad. The operation, which began in the morning and continued into the evening, was carried out jointly by officers from the Thiruvananthapuram team and the Palakkad Crime Branch.
According to police sources, investigators inspected the building’s security room to trace CCTV footage from the dates the survivor claims she had visited the flat. The survivor’s statement alleges that Rahul brought her to the Palakkad apartment and assaulted her there. However, officers confirmed that no CCTV recordings from the relevant period were available, as the DVR system does not store footage for such an extended duration.
Police are expected to send the hard disk from the CCTV system for forensic analysis to determine whether any recoverable or deleted data can be retrieved. Two cars belonging to the MLA were found parked at the flat during the inspection; MLA’s driver and a private secretary were learnt to be present at the flat at the time of investigation.
Meanwhile, police sources indicate that Rahul is believed to be in Coimbatore, prompting teams to expand searches across Kerala and into Tamil Nadu. A lookout notice has already been issued as the MLA remains untraceable.
These local developments come in the backdrop of the wider investigation, in which Rahul Mamkootathil faces serious charges including alleged rape, criminal intimidation, and coerced abortion. His associate Joby Joseph has been named as the second accused.
The FIR cites multiple non-bailable sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including charges related to repeated assault and causing miscarriage without consent.
The case gained momentum after the survivor submitted a formal petition to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on November 27. The MLA has already approached the Thiruvananthapuram Sessions Court seeking anticipatory bail, with the hearing set for December 3.