Kerala CM signals that Rahul Mamkootathil faced serious and imminent legal jeopardy

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan signalled on Wednesday (August 27, 2025) that Congress legislator Rahul Mamkootathil, who is fighting accusations of serial sexual misconduct and predatory behaviour towards women, faced serious and imminent legal jeopardy.

Also Read | Congress suspends Kerala MLA Rahul Mamkootathil from primary membership amid misconduct charges

Without taking the name of the beleaguered Palakkad MLA, who Congress had suspended from the party’s primary membership last week, Mr. Vijayan told a press conference that the audio clips signalling coercion to terminate a pregnancy outside marriage at the peril of the victim’s life had rocked Kerala’s collective consciousness. 

Mr. Vijayan declined to comment when asked whether he possessed intelligence on the identity and status of the victims or if the police had received a complaint.

“My constitutional obligations forbid me from holding forth on such matters or any sensitive information privy to the Chief Minister. The government is on the right legal track”, he said. 

“Kerala will not brook such brazen and unheard of criminality in public life. The government will protect victims who are afraid to come forward. It will protect their privacy, security and ensure their welfare.  Such felons have no place in public life. It is imperative to insulate civil society from such sexual predators and criminals capable of resorting to violence and deception, especially against women and children, to serve their vested interests”, he said. 

Mr Vijayan said the accusations that surfaced in the public domain were the tip of the iceberg. He noted that the offences suggested a serial nature. He said (Mr Mamkootathil’s) mere suspension from the party and debarment from the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) would not absolve the Opposition from the guilt of protecting a habitual offender. 

Mr Vijayan singled out the Leader of the Opposition, V.D. Satheesan, for criticism. He said the accused person owed his continuation (as Palakkad legislator) to Mr Satheesan and those in the latter’s orbit. 

Several senior Congress leaders had voiced their dismay publicly. However, the Congress appeared to be struggling to adopt a consistent and ethically sound stance against the offender, he said. 

Mr Vijayan said Mr Satheesan appeared harried and annoyed. “His outbursts and threats to assail the government and party with bombshell accusations are mere bluster”, he said.