Three more pieces of evidence were submitted to the court in a sealed cover. Photos, a hash value certificate of WhatsApp chats, and phone conversation records were submitted. The hash value certificate of the digital evidence was presented.
Thiruvananthapuram: Rahul Mamkootathil has submitted additional evidence in the rape case against him, presenting three more items in a sealed cover to the court. This includes photos, a hash value certificate of WhatsApp chats, and phone conversation records-all on a pen drive to verify the digital evidence’s authenticity. Meanwhile, the investigation team has intensified efforts to locate Rahul, who is accused in the case filed a few days ago by a woman.
Police discovered that Rahul left Palakkad using roads without CCTV coverage and deliberately traveled via various routes to confuse investigators. The Special Branch’s CCTV probe has yet to clearly trace his movements, and that investigation continues. Police teams have been deployed across districts under the orders of the ADGP (law and order) to find Rahul and his co-accused Joby Joseph. Extensive searches took place in Palakkad and Pathanamthitta, including visits to Rahul’s friends’ residences, as officers gather intelligence on people connected to the accused.
The court is scheduled to hear Rahul Mamkootathil’s bail application on Wednesday. Despite the pending bail application, police have received legal advice that there is no obstacle to arresting Rahul and are actively pursuing his apprehension. A special investigation team under the Thiruvananthapuram City Police is dedicated to the case, coordinating with teams in each district led by district police chiefs.
Raul Easwar arrested
Parallel to these developments, activist Rahul Easwar was arrested for allegedly defaming and revealing the identity of the complainant in the same case. Easwar’s mobile devices were seized as part of the probe after posts on social media were found to have circled the complainant’s identity, leading to charges under various sections of the law protecting victim privacy.