Kerala Police registers case against suspended Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil for 'stalking women'

Kerala Congress legislator Rahul Mamkootathil

The Kerala Crime Branch has registered a case against Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil for allegedly stalking and harassing women on social media.

The development came hours after chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said at a press conference that all possible legal steps would be taken in connection with the allegations against Mamkootathil.

The Crime Branch has registered a case on the instructions of the State Police Chief after examining the complaints received by the State Police Chief in this regard, and it was found that they were cognizable offences. An investigation is underway in the case, and Crime Branch Thiruvananthapuram Range Deputy SP C Binukumar is in charge of the investigation, reported news agency ANI.

The FIR was registered under sections 78(2) (stalking) and 351 (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and section 120 (o) (causing, through any means of communication, a nuisance of himself to any person by repeated or undesirable or anonymous call, letter, writing, message, e-mail or through a messenger) of the Kerala Police Act.

Mamkootathil had recently quit as Youth Congress state president after Malayalam actress Rini Ann George accused a young leader of a prominent political party of misbehaviour, triggering protests by the BJP and DYFI, the CPI(M)'s youth wing. He was also facing an internal party probe.

Subsequently, several women and a transgender person came forward with similar allegations. Following the release of audio clips of a purported conversation between the MLA and a woman, the Congress suspended him from the party's primary membership.