Did Rahul Mankootathil MLA Escape in a Red Polo Linked to Malayali Actress? Key Leads Emerge

Thiruvananthapuram: In the case involving the brutal sexual assault of a young woman and the alleged forced administration of abortion medication, investigators suspect that MLA Rahul Mankootathil went into hiding in a red Volkswagen Polo belonging to a film actress friend. Rahul reportedly disappeared shortly after the survivor submitted her complaint to the Chief Minister. Until then, he had been actively participating in election campaign activities in Kannadi, Palakkad.

According to sources, after news broke that the survivor personally met the Chief Minister, Rahul abruptly left Kannadi in the red Polo. His whereabouts have been unknown since that moment.

Investigators focused on CCTV recordings from the area and identified Rahul departing in the vehicle. Police then traced the registration number, which led them to the owner — a Malayali actress. However, authorities are still examining whether Rahul continued in the same vehicle throughout his journey or transferred to another car en route.

Police have intensified efforts to track Rahul’s movements. It is also believed that Joby Joseph, his friend and co-accused in the case, is accompanying him. Earlier leads suggested that Rahul may have crossed over into Coimbatore, prompting police to widen the investigation beyond Kerala’s borders.

At the same time, police have been scrutinizing Rahul’s close associates. Officers searched the homes of several of his friends yesterday, and their phone communications are currently under surveillance. A police team also inspected Rahul’s Palakkad flat as part of the ongoing investigation.