Palakkad (Kerala) [India], December 11 : Expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, who is accused in a rape case and had been absconding for the past 15 days, cast his vote in Palakkad during the second phase of the Kerala local body elections.
He showed up around 4:50 PM on Thursday, after the crowd had thinned.
Police have registered a case against MLA Rahul Mamkootathil based on a woman's complaint alleging sexual assault, rape on the pretext of marriage and forced abortion. The FIR, initially lodged at the Nedumangad Valiyamala Police Station, was later transferred to the Nemom Police Station as the alleged incidents occurred within its jurisdiction.
While he is absconding, the Kerala High Court on December 6 stayed his arrest. The bench of Justice K Babu considered the MLA's anticipatory bail plea and directed that detailed arguments would be heard. The matter is scheduled to be taken up again on December 15.
Rahul Mamkootathil had approached the High Court after the Thiruvananthapuram Principal Sessions Court rejected his anticipatory bail application. The Thiruvananthapuram Principal Sessions Court had rejected Mamkootathil's request for anticipatory bail in the alleged rape case.
The case registered against him includes eight non-bailable sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, including Section 64 for rape, Section 64(2) for repeatedly committing rape on the same woman, Section 64(f) for rape by a person in a position of trust, Section 64(h) for rape on a woman knowing she is pregnant, and Section 64(m) for repeated rape on the same woman.
It also includes Section 89 of the BNS for causing miscarriage without a woman's consent, BNS 316 for criminal breach of trust, and Section 68(e) of the Information Technology Act relating to transmission of offensive digital content.
The offences cumulatively carry punishments ranging from ten years to life imprisonment.
Meanwhile, the local body elections in Kerala are being held in two phases, covering 1,199 out of the state's 1,200 local bodies. The first phase of polling was held on December 9 across seven districts and witnessed a voter turnout of 70.9 per cent.
The counting of votes will take place on December 13.