Thiruvananthapuram: Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil filed an anticipatory bail plea Saturday in his second sexual assault case at the Tiruvananthapuram Sessions Court.

The plea, being heard in Fast Track Court 3, seeks to stay his arrest in the second case.

Earlier, the Kerala High Court granted interim relief in the first case, directing that Mamkootathil not be arrested until Dec 15. The expelled Congress legislator continues to evade police despite pressure from law enforcement and his own party.

The direction was issued by a Constitution Bench while considering Mamkootathil’s anticipatory bail plea in the alleged rape case registered against him.

The development came a day after the Thiruvananthapuram Principal Sessions Court rejected his bail request, observing that custodial interrogation was necessary for a fair and effective investigation. The court had noted that the seriousness of the allegations warranted direct questioning by investigators.

When the plea came up before the High Court on Saturday, the counsel for Rahul Mamkootathil informed the Bench that he needed to make certain submissions before the matter could proceed.

The judges clarified that, given the wide-ranging issues involved, the court would not enter into the merits of the case at this stage. However, they granted interim protection from arrest till December 15.

The order ensures that police cannot take him into custody until the next hearing, effectively pausing the escalating manhunt.