Thiruvananthapuram: Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil has submitted an anticipatory bail plea on Friday in connection with a sexual assault case registered against him.

The bail plea was moved before the Thiruvananthapuram Sessions Court. Advocate Sasthamangalam Ajith Kumar submitted the petition on Rahul’s behalf. In the plea, Rahul claimed that the complaint was false and stated that he was innocent.

As per the FIR, Mamkootathil assaulted the complainant and raped her on multiple occasions. It stated that on March 17, the woman's videos were recorded at her apartment, and he allegedly threatened to release them if their relationship became public.

The FIR further said that although he knew she was pregnant, Mamkoottathil allegedly raped her at her apartment on April 22, and again over two days in the last week of May at his apartment in Palakkad.

On May 30, the second accused, Joby Joseph, described as a close associate of Mamkootathil, allegedly handed over abortion pills to the complainant inside a car.

Mamkootathil then allegedly forced her to consume the pills to terminate the pregnancy.

The case has been registered under Sections 64(2)(f) (rape by a person in a position of trust or authority), 64(2)(h) (rape knowing the woman is pregnant), 64(2)(m) (repeated rape on the same woman), 89 (causing miscarriage without consent), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 351(3) (criminal intimidation), and 3(5) (joint criminal liability) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Police have also invoked Section 66(E) of the Information Technology Act for the alleged recording and threat of misuse of private images.

Nemom police have re-registered the FIR after the case was transferred from Valiyamala police station.

Police have launched efforts to arrest Rahul, who is reportedly absconding. A state-wide investigation is underway, with authorities suspecting that he may attempt to leave the country via any airport in Kerala. The Thiruvananthapuram City Police Commissioner requested the Bureau of Immigration to issue a lookout notice at all airports, which was done on Friday morning. Investigations are also ongoing in Kochi following reports that Rahul may have arrived there.

(with inputs from PTI)