Crime Branch registers suo moto case against Rahul Mamkootathil
Follow TNM's WhatsApp channel for news updates and story links.In the background of multiple sexual harassment allegations, the Crime Branch under Kerala police on Wednesday, August 27, registered a case against Congress leader and Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil. In the absence of complaints, the Crime Branch registered the case based on direction of the state police chief Ravada Chandrasekhar. The case was filed under Sections 78 (stalking) and 351 (criminal intimidation) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 120(O) of the Kerala Police Act (causing nuisance by repeated or undesirable or anonymous call, letter, writing, message etc). The move came hours after the Chief Minister termed as ‘criminal thinking’ a remark allegedly made by Rahul in an audio recording, in which he said he wouldn’t need much time to kill a woman—an apparent attempt to pressure her into having an abortion. Rahul was recently suspended from Congress party after allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced in the media. However, Congress denied receiving any complaints against Rahul. A Crime Branch team led by Deputy Superintendent of Police C Binukumar will conduct the investigation. Police are learnt to receive legal advice to proceed with the FIR, though there are no formal complaints from aggrieved persons. Rahul was in the centre of several unverified allegations of sexual misconduct for the past one month. When probed by the media, Rahul rubbished it as a conspiracy by his rivals. However, recently, actor-model Rini Ann George narrated her experience of being harassed by a young politician through unwanted messages. Though she didn’t name the politician, Rini said that he had a ‘who cares’ attitude, echoing a similar comment previously made by Rahul. Later, writer Honey Bhaskaran came up with an allegation of misconduct from Rahul. During this time, multiple audio recordings, allegedly between Rahul and anonymous women, have surfaced. In one such recording, the man could be heard forcing the woman for an abortion. In another recording, a woman narrated that she was forced into a sexual relationship with a false promise of marriage. However, none of these recordings named Rahul. Following the direction of the Congress party, Rahul recently stepped down from the post of president of the state unit of Indian Youth Congress. A week later, he was suspended from the party. Though there were demands from within and outside the party for his resignation as an MLA, Congress finally decided to put things on hold considering the possibility of a byelection in Palakkad, where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is keen for a win.
Follow TNM's WhatsApp channel for news updates and story links.
IN the background of multiple sexual harassment allegations, the Crime Branch under Kerala police has registered a case against Congress leader and Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil.
In the absence of complaints, the Crime Branch registered the case based on the direction of the state police chief Ravada Chandrasekhar.
The case was filed under Sections 78 (stalking) and 351 (criminal intimidation) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 120(O) of the Kerala Police Act (causing nuisance by repeated or undesirable or anonymous call, letter, writing, message etc).
The move came hours after the Chief Minister termed as ‘criminal thinking’ a remark allegedly made by Rahul in an audio recording, in which he said he wouldn’t need much time to kill a woman—an apparent attempt to pressure her into having an abortion. Rahul was recently suspended from the Congress party after allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced in the media. However, Congress denied receiving any complaints against Rahul.
A Crime Branch team led by Deputy Superintendent of Police C Binukumar will conduct the investigation. Police are learnt to receive legal advice to proceed with the FIR, though there are no formal complaints from aggrieved persons.
Rahul was at the centre of several unverified allegations of sexual misconduct for the past month. When probed by the media, Rahul rubbished it as a conspiracy by his rivals. However, recently, actor-model Rini Ann George narrated her experience of being harassed by a young politician through unwanted messages.
Though she didn’t name the politician, Rini said that he had a ‘who cares’ attitude, echoing a similar comment previously made by Rahul. Later, writer Honey Bhaskaran came up with an allegation of misconduct from Rahul.
During this time, multiple audio recordings, allegedly between Rahul and anonymous women, have surfaced. In one such recording, the man could be heard forcing the woman to have an abortion. In another recording, a woman narrated that she was forced into a sexual relationship with a false promise of marriage. However, none of these recordings named Rahul.
Following the direction of the Congress party, Rahul recently stepped down from the post of president of the state unit of the Indian Youth Congress.
A week later, he was suspended from the party. Though there were demands from within and outside the party for his resignation as an MLA, Congress finally decided to put things on hold considering the possibility of a byelection in Palakkad, where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is keen for a win.
