Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 3: A court on Wednesday reserved order on the anticipatory bail plea of Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, accused of raping and coercing a woman into an unsafe abortion.

After a 90-minute closed-door hearing, the Court said that since a maze of documents has to be perused, the orders will come accordingly.

Before the start of the hearing, the court cleared the room, reflecting the sensitivity of the case that triggered a major political storm in the state.

Mamkootathil’s counsel argued that the complaint was “motivated and aimed at destroying his political career”, alleging a conspiracy involving the CPI(M) and BJP.

He maintained that the relationship had been consensual and claimed the pregnancy was not related to him.

The defence further argued that the woman herself opted for an abortion. It was also pointed out that this case is being used to divert public attention from the Sabarimala gold smuggling controversy.

The court, after listening to both sides, reserved its order and directed the prosecution to file one more supporting document.

Meanwhile, the Special Investigation Team has submitted a detailed report to the court, reportedly containing grave findings.

According to the report, the woman was raped multiple times and was threatened into undergoing an abortion.

Investigators say they have evidence to support allegations of sexual assault and coercion.

The prosecution argued strongly against granting bail, highlighting Mamkootathil’s influence as a public representative.

If released, they warned, he could intimidate the complainant or destroy crucial evidence.

For Mamkootathil, the case has become politically existential.

A court order against him could result in expulsion from his party, for which a majority in the party have gone on record tasking the party’s top brass to ensure that he is expelled.

In August, when this case first surfaced, the party stripped him of the post of Youth Congress president and suspended him from the party.

Even as the case tightens around him, the police have yet to trace the legislator, who, they say, is absconding in Bengaluru, seven days after the complaint was filed.

In her confidential deposition before the Neyyattinkara JFCM court, the woman detailed multiple instances of rape, twice in a Thiruvananthapuram flat and later in Palakkad.

She alleged that Rahul recorded videos of the assaults, used them to threaten her, and repeatedly intimidated her over the phone.

According to the prosecution, Mamkootathil’s friend Joby Joseph delivered the abortion pill and has been named a co-accused.

Mumbai: On the 69th death anniversary of Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (BR Ambedkar), also known as Mahaparinirvan Diwas, a holiday has been declared to all government and semi-government officials in Mumbai on Saturday, December 6. Mahaparinirvan Diwas serves as an opportunity to honour his efforts towards social justice, equality, and human rights.

The holiday has also been granted to the municipal officials in the Thane district. In addition to this, the employees who are not eligible for the holiday will be granted one day of earned leave. Citing a Municipality circular, the report stated that the workers and employees in essential services will be exempted from the holiday.

The day commemorates the death of Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, the creator of the Indian Constitution and a leader who fought for social justice. It represents his shift to everlasting peace while honouring his lasting influence in supporting underrepresented communities and championing equality and human rights.

It is a day for contemplation, honour, and a reaffirmation of the dedication to his vision of a fair and inclusive community. Mahaparinirvan Diwas serves as a reminder of Dr Ambedkar’s steadfast dedication to establishing an equitable society and motivates ongoing endeavours for social justice.

A large number of people are expected to congregate at the Chaityabhoomi here on December 6, the death anniversary of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. The annual event draws lakhs of followers of Dr Ambedkar from across the country.

On December 2, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis directed all departments to ensure that security and all other necessary arrangements at Chaityabhoomi. Fadnavis directed officials to ensure proper ‘mandap’ (canopy/pandal) arrangements, drinking water facilities, sanitation, traffic management and adequate signage in Dadar area, where the Chaityabhoomi is located.

Central Railway will be running 12 additional suburban services on Babasaheb Ambedkar’s death anniversary on December 6, observed as Mahaparinirvan Divas by lakhs of his followers, who converge at Chaityabhoomi in Dadar from across the country.

In a release, CR said that these additional suburban special trains will be run between Parel-Kalyan and Kurla-Panvel stations on Friday-Saturday mid-night. These additional suburban special trains will be operated from Kurla, Kalyan, Thane, Parel, Vashi and Panvel stations between 00.45 am and 4 am.

The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) has been instructed to deploy additional buses for the convenience of devotees, he said, adding that the annual review helps identify gaps and improve arrangements each year.

Kolkata, Dec 3: The decision of the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) to strike down 35 castes from West Bengal in the central Other Backward Classes list, all from the Muslim community, proves the appeasement politics pursued by the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government in the state, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said on Wednesday.

The information on the NCBC’s move came through a reply given by Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment B. L. Verma to an unstarred question raised by Jagannath Sarkar, the BJP’s Lok Sabha member from Ranaghat in Nadia district of West Bengal.

“The National Commission for the Backward Classes has given its advice for the exclusion of 35 castes from the Central List of OBCs for the state of West Bengal on 03.01.2025,” Verma’s reply said.

Reacting to this, the BJP’s Information Technology cell chief and the party’s central observer for West Bengal, Amit Malviya, issued a statement on Wednesday morning saying that the step by the NCBC raised serious questions about the grouping of religious communities under OBC quotas for scoring political gain, which in turn denied genuinely backward Hindu groups their fair share.

“The Modi government is correcting decades of appeasement-led distortions and ensuring real social justice based on backwardness, not vote-bank politics. Mamata Banerjee’s regressive politics have run their course,” Malviya said.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court deferred the hearing in the West Bengal OBC list case for four weeks and made it clear that the Calcutta High Court should not continue with further proceedings while the matter is before the apex court.

In an interim order issued on June 17 this year, a Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court had directed the West Bengal government not to publish the final notification for the new OBC list till July 31 this year.