The Kerala High Court has extended the interim order preventing the arrest of Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkoottathil in a rape case until January 21. A final decision on his plea for anticipatory bail has been postponed pending detailed arguments on that day. The court has allowed the complainant to be included as a party in the bail petition.
During the hearing, the High Court granted the complainant two weeks to file a response to Mamkoottathil’s anticipatory bail application. The court emphasized the complainant’s importance for a fair adjudication of the bail plea. The case, involving the first rape accusation against the MLA, is set for further hearing on January 21.
The court has instructed that no coercive actions be taken against the MLA during this period. Mamkoottathil, a sitting MLA from Palakkad, faces significant attention in political and legal circles due to the case. The anticipatory bail plea’s outcome could have broader political implications, especially with upcoming state political events.
