The Kerala High Court has postponed crucial hearings related to the anticipatory bail petitions of Palakkad legislator Rahul Mamkootathil, who is facing serious sexual assault allegations. The court's decisions have delayed a final ruling on whether the MLA will be granted protection from arrest in two separate cases.
Hearings Adjourned Until After Christmas Vacation
On Monday, a bench led by Justice Viju Abraham decided to adjourn the state government's petition challenging the anticipatory bail granted to Mamkootathil. The hearing has been pushed to a date after the Christmas vacation. The court granted this adjournment to provide time for the MLA to file his formal objections to the government's plea.
The state government, represented by the Crime Branch DSP through the Public Prosecutor, had approached the High Court seeking to overturn a Sessions Court order from December 10. On that date, the Thiruvananthapuram Principal Sessions Court had granted pre-arrest bail to Mamkootathil, albeit with strict conditions attached.
State Government's Strong Objections
The government's petition argues forcefully that the lower court failed to properly consider the severity of the accusations and the evidence gathered by investigators. It contends that the alleged crimes are of an extremely serious nature, involving non-bailable and heinous offences that carry severe penal consequences. The state maintains that the sessions court's order warrants intervention by the higher judiciary.
The case involves allegations made by a 23-year-old woman from Bengaluru, who has accused the MLA of rape. Police have registered offences under sections related to rape and coercive termination of pregnancy. Mamkootathil has consistently denied all these allegations.
Second Case Also Adjourned
In a parallel development on the same day, another bench of the High Court, headed by Justice K Babu, adjourned a separate pre-arrest bail petition filed by Mamkootathil. This petition relates to a different sexual assault case registered at the Nemom police station in Thiruvananthapuram.
That hearing has been rescheduled for December 18. The court extended an interim order that restrains the police from arresting the MLA until that date. Mamkootathil approached the High Court after the Thiruvananthapuram Sessions Court dismissed his anticipatory bail plea in this second case. This case originated from a complaint submitted directly to the Chief Minister's office, which was later forwarded to the police for action.
The legal proceedings highlight the complex judicial process surrounding serious allegations against a sitting legislator. With both hearings now adjourned, the focus shifts to the post-Christmas vacation period when the courts will reconvene to deliberate on these significant matters.
