Fri Dec 05 06:57:21 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary and news article based on the provided text:
Summary:
The Kerala Police have assigned Assistant Inspector General G. Poonguzhali to oversee the Crime Branch investigation into a second rape case filed against Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil. The case stems from an alleged 2023 incident where Mamkootathil befriended and raped the accuser at a homestay. A close associate, Fenni Ninan, is implicated in driving the accuser. The second case was initiated after an email complaint led to Mamkootathil’s expulsion from his party. Investigators are building a case based on circumstantial evidence, cell phone data, and the victim’s testimony, leveraging legal provisions allowing remote testimony and focusing on corroborating evidence due to the time elapsed since the alleged crime.
News Article:
Kerala Police Assign AIG to Investigate MLA Rahul Mamkootathil in Second Rape Case
Thiruvananthapuram, December 5, 2025 – The Kerala Police have appointed Assistant Inspector General (AIG) G. Poonguzhali to supervise the Crime Branch’s investigation into a second rape case against Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil. The move comes amid concerns of potential additional allegations surfacing against the politician.
Ms. Poonguzhali’s experience as the nodal officer for victims testifying before the 2017 Justice Hema Committee, which investigated sexual harassment and inequality in the Malayalam film industry, was cited as a key factor in her assignment.
The Crime Branch has already filed a first information report (FIR) accusing Mr. Mamkootathil of illegal detention and rape, alleging he befriended the accuser on social media, proposed marriage, and then raped her at a homestay in 2023. The FIR also names Fenni Ninan, a close associate of Mamkootathil, as having transported the accuser. Ninan has denied the allegations.
The second rape charge stemmed from an explosive email complaint to KPCC president Sunny Joseph, resulting in Mamkootathil’s expulsion from the party. Police have located the woman who filed the complaint, and she has reportedly expressed a willingness to press charges, potentially providing testimony remotely under Section 183 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita(BNSS).
Given the time elapsed since the alleged incident, investigators are focusing on building a strong circumstantial case, including cell phone data and location services information, to corroborate the victim’s testimony. They are also planning to subpoena cell phone providers and seize devices for cyber-forensic examination.
DySP K. Sajeevan of the Crime Branch is the investigating officer in the case. The investigation continues.
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