Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Monday extended the interim protection from arrest granted to expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil in a case involving allegations of rape and forcing a woman to undergo an abortion.

Justice K Babu, hearing Mamkootathil’s plea challenging the Thiruvananthapuram Principal District and Sessions Court order denying him anticipatory bail, posted the matter for further hearing on December 18. The court also extended its earlier direction restraining the police from arresting the MLA until the petition is taken up again on that date.

In a related development, a separate petition filed by the Kerala government challenging the Thiruvananthapuram court’s order granting pre-arrest bail to Mamkootathil in another case came up before a High Court bench headed by Justice Viju Abraham. That case pertains to allegations of sexual assault on the false promise of marriage. The court said the matter would be heard after the Christmas vacation.

Mamkootathil had reportedly gone into hiding after the registration of the cases and returned only after the High Court granted interim relief. He later appeared in Palakkad to cast his vote in the local body elections on December 11.

PTI