Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil returns to Kerala Assembly after sexual misconduct charges

Politics Politics of India

Posted by AI on 2025-09-15 06:57:05 | Last Updated by AI on 2026-06-27 23:28:53

Share: Facebook | Twitter | Whatsapp | Linkedin Visits: 14

---

Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil yesterday made his first appearance in the Kerala Assembly since allegations of sexual misconduct and sexual relationship with a female colleague emerged last year, causing him to go into self-imposed political exile. Mamkootathil, who occupies the seat assigned to him by the Speaker well away from both the Opposition and Treasury benches, told reporters that he was considering suing those who he alleged were behind the scandalous allegations that have shaken the state's ruling Congress-led coalition.

"I will decide whether to take legal action against those who were behind the allegations after examining the results of an internal inquiry that is pending before the Congress," Mamkootathil told reporters. He declined to identify those he intended to sue, but said "they will be surprised to receive my legal notice".

The state's Congress leadership has been weighing an internal investigation into the allegations, which are denied by Mamkootathil and the woman involved, former pharmaceuticals minister K.T. Jaleel's former deputy Sarita. Expectations had been rising that Mamkootathil would show up at the Assembly proceedings yesterday, a day after the state's new Speaker A.N. Shamseer told reporters that the lawmaker would be treated like any other MLA and allowed to attend debates and discussions.

"There was never any kind of pressure from the party or the leadership to force him to attend the Assembly," Shamseer said. "Mamkootathil alone took the decision to come."

In his first comments since the scandal erupted last year, Mamkootathil said that the allegations against him and subsequent investigations had caused him "immense mental torture".

"I will take steps to move forward, shaking off the shadows of the past," he said. "I will decide when and where to make my speech in the Assembly."

Go!