Crying woman's audio message, DIG Poonguzhali's deft operation; More about Saturday night arrest

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: MLA Rahul Mamkootathil's stumbling in the third sexual assault case is doubted to be due to the special intervention made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The Special Investigation Team, which received the complaint, had decided to record a confidential statement in court and later proceed with an arrest.

Rahul had threatened the woman that she would face dire consequences if she filed a complaint. The woman then decided to send a voice message to the Chief Minister. This is said to have changed the course of the case. The audio message, largely filled with the sobbing of the victim, is said to have moved the chief minister. In the audio, the victim raised concerns over the chances of Rahul going free again if the police showed laxity in registering a case. The woman also told the CM of the threat Rahul gave to her family.

The Chief Minister immediately enquired with the DGP about any obstacles in arresting Rahul. DGP Ravada Chandrasekhar replied that there was presently no obstacle, as there was no court order in the new complaint. After getting the ‘yes nod’ from the Chief Minister, the DGP ordered G. Poonguzhali, DIG of the Special Investigation Team, to proceed with the next move. By then, it was past 8 pm.

It was initially decided to send a police team from Kollam to Palakkad. Considering the possibility of information getting leaked by the time the police reached Palakkad, the move was abandoned. Without disclosing the arrest information even to the SIT team, DIG Poonguzhali directly assigned the mission to Shornur DYSP Muraleedharan.

The order was to just take Rahul into custody and only use officials who are trustworthy. Rahul's friends were in his room till 11 pm. There was a police team in another room in the hotel to monitor. Just before the arrest, the police took control of the phone at the reception. After taking him into custody, DySP Muraleedharan received orders from the DIG to take Rahul to the Pathanamthitta AR camp.