On November 24, 2025, a fresh wave of controversy emerged around Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, as new mobile phone audio recordings and WhatsApp chats surfaced in the public domain, reigniting the ongoing serial sexual misconduct scandal involving him. The release of these materials comes at a sensitive time, coinciding with the local body election campaign in Kerala, and threatens to complicate the Congress party’s prospects in the region.
The newly surfaced messages and audio clips reportedly include a threatening male voice pressuring a woman to undergo a medical termination of pregnancy against her will. The authenticity of these recordings and chats remains uncertain, with questions raised about their provenance and intent. Nevertheless, the allegations have sparked protests, with BJP workers in Palakkad marching to the MLA’s office to express their outrage.
Rahul Mamkootathil, when approached by reporters in Palakkad, strongly objected to television channels attributing the voice in the recordings to him without granting him an opportunity to respond. He also expressed suspicion about the timing of the leaks, suggesting that the scandal’s resurgence is politically motivated and strategically timed to influence the ongoing local body elections. Mamkootathil maintained a stance of confidence despite the allegations, especially when informed that the alleged victim was scheduled to meet Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to present her account of exploitation and mistreatment, supported by digital evidence.
Addressing the media, Mamkootathil welcomed any form of investigation into the matter and insisted that he had not committed any legal wrongdoing. When pressed to explicitly deny that the voice in the audio and the text messages belonged to him, he refrained from a direct denial but said he would “clear the air at the appropriate time.” Despite calls for his resignation from various corners, including several women leaders within his own party, Mamkootathil has stood firm and refused to step down.
The police investigation into these allegations has so far made little progress, primarily because there has been no formal complaint filed by the alleged victims. This absence of an official complaint has stalled any concrete legal action, leaving the issue in a state of limbo.
Within the Congress party, a senior leader revealed that the leadership had been cautious in dealing with the matter due to its reliance on third-party complaints and the absence of direct accusations from the alleged victims. This approach has led the party to largely maintain support for Mamkootathil until more definitive evidence emerges. However, the leader acknowledged that if the alleged victim were to lodge a formal complaint directly with the Chief Minister, it would dramatically change the party’s position and potentially escalate the situation against Mamkootathil.
The reemergence of this scandal has also created discomfort among Congress leaders, who fear that the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) could exploit the controversy to shift the political narrative in the state during a critical election period. The LDF, led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist), appears to be capitalizing on the situation to undermine the opposition’s campaign.
V. Sivankutty, Kerala’s General Education Minister and a member of the CPI(M) State committee, criticized Mamkootathil’s continued presence in the election fray despite the scandal. Sivankutty interpreted the MLA’s refusal to step down as a display of contempt for public opinion, suggesting that this attitude might work to the advantage of the LDF in the elections.
Meanwhile, key opposition figures including Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan and Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Sunny Joseph declined to comment on the issue. However, former KPCC president K. Muraleedharan emphasized that the government should focus on prosecuting Mamkootathil based on concrete evidence rather than using the scandal as an election stunt.
The case remains highly contentious and politically charged, with the potential to influence the outcome of local body elections in Kerala. As the investigation continues, much depends on whether the alleged victim moves forward with formal complaints and whether more substantial evidence comes to light.
This controversy highlights the complex interplay between politics, law, and public opinion in India, especially when allegations of sexual misconduct surface against elected officials. The situation underscores the challenges parties face in balancing due process with political expediency, and the impact such scandals can have on electoral dynamics.
As of now, Rahul Mamkootathil remains in office, with the Congress party cautiously navigating the repercussions of the scandal. The public and