Kerala HC grants anticipatory bail to expelled Cong MLA in first sexual assault case

The Kerala High Court on Thursday granted anticipatory bail to expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil in a case of rape and forced abortion against him. Justice Kauser Edappagath granted the relief to the Palakkad MLA on his plea challenging a Thiruvananthapuram Sessions Court decision denying him anticipatory bail in the case. The detailed order is not yet available. Mamkootathil was protected from arrest in the case since December 6, 2025. It was the first case of sexual assault registered against the Palakkad MLA who is an accused in two other similar cases. While he was able to get protection from arrest in two of the three cases, he was arrested in the third and spent over two weeks in custody before being granted regular bail.