Kerala MLA Rahul Mamkootathil was arrested on Sunday, January 11, 2026, in connection with a third alleged sexual assault case, marking a significant development in a series of legal troubles for the politician. The arrest of the 36-year-old former Youth Congress state president was carried out in a dramatic midnight operation, following urgent directives from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. This swift action came after the complainant in the latest case reportedly sent a voice message on January 8, 2026, expressing profound fear for her family's safety and apprehension about potential delays in the arrest. The latest case stems from an alleged assault on a 31-year-old woman at a hotel in Thiruvalla on April 8, 2024, with the First Information Report (FIR) registered on January 9, 2026. Police sources indicated that Mamkootathil used his position to sexually abuse women, and the pattern of allegations in this case is similar to the previous ones, involving promises of marriage and forced abortion. Following his arrest, Mamkootathil was remanded to 14 days' judicial custody by a magistrate in Pathanamthitta. Law enforcement officials have seized his mobile phone, conducted a potency examination, and collected his blood samples for DNA testing, which has been highlighted as crucial evidence, especially given the alleged preservation of an embryo in one of the cases. The Congress party swiftly distanced itself from Mamkootathil, with senior leader K. Muraleedharan stating that he had been expelled from the party much earlier, specifically in August 2025 and primary membership in December 2025, after the initial allegations surfaced. The party maintained that he is no longer their responsibility. This incident has also prompted Kerala Assembly Speaker A.N. Shamseer to seek legal opinion regarding the potential disqualification of Mamkootathil from his MLA post, adding a political dimension to the ongoing legal crisis. Mamkootathil already faces two other sexual assault cases, in which he had previously secured interim protection from arrest or anticipatory bail.