Kerala Woman Files Sexual Assault Case Against Suspended Congress MLA Following New Audio Evidence

A woman has filed a sexual assault complaint with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against suspended Congress MLA Rahul Mankootathil after a new audio recording of their conversation emerged online.

The complainant met with Chief Minister Vijayan at his Thiruvananthapuram office to submit her grievance. The matter has subsequently been forwarded to the State Police Chief for further investigation.

This development comes several months after Mankootathil faced multiple allegations of sexual misconduct from different individuals.

Responding to the complaint, the Palakkad MLA stated on Facebook that he would contest the allegations through legal channels: "As long as I am convinced that I have done no wrong, I will continue to fight legally. I will prove everything in the court of law as well as in the court of the people. Truth will prevail."

Kerala Health Minister Veena George expressed solidarity with the complainant through social media, writing: "Dear sister, Do not lose strength...Kerala is with you."

The Crime Branch had previously initiated an investigation based on earlier audio clips and chat messages. That case originated from an email sent to police headquarters by third parties, as the woman had not come forward at that time.

Two days before the complaint was filed, another purported audio recording surfaced in which Mankootathil was allegedly heard first insisting he wanted a child, before later urging the woman to undergo an abortion.

Following these allegations, Mankootathil was suspended from the primary membership of the Congress party on August 25.

The MLA had previously resigned as Youth Congress state president after Malayalam actress Rini Ann George accused "a young leader" of a prominent political party of misconduct, which triggered protests by the BJP and DYFI, the youth wing of the CPI(M).

In the aftermath, multiple women and a transgender person came forward with similar allegations against him.

Mankootathil had been elected as MLA in November of the previous year in a by-election for the Palakkad constituency. The by-election was necessitated after the former MLA Shafi Parambil won the Vatakara Lok Sabha seat in the general election.