Kerala Congress MLA and former state Youth Congress president Rahul Mamkootathil denied allegations levelled against him by transwoman Avantika and said he is facing huge attacks over "false" charges. However, transwoman Avanthika accused Mamkootathil of twisting facts.
Addressing presspersons, the MLA from Palakkad claimed Avanthika was his friend and it was the transwoman who contacted him first on August 1. Mamkootathil said it was Avantika who "alerted" him about attempts to frame him in sexual assault charges. Later, Mamkootathil played an audio clip, which he claimed was sent to him by Avantika; the clip was reportedly a conversation between Avantika and a news reporter.
In the clip, which Mamkootathil said was shared with him by Avantika on August 1, Avantika is heard saying she has no complaints against Mamkootathil.
"Avantika said she is facing a life-threatening situation, if so, would she share such an audio clip with me?" Mamkootathil asked. The Congress leader also apologized to party cadres for the ill situation they are facing in his name. Mamkootathil said Avantika told him that she would stand by him in his fight for justice.
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However, the Congress leader did not comment on other charges against him. The Congress MLA from Palakkad was supposed to conduct a press briefing yesterday, however, it was cancelled at the last minute for unspecified reasons.
Meanwhile, Avantika refuted Mamkootathil's claims and charged the Congress MLA of twisting facts. Avantika dared the former Kerala Youth Congress president to share messages on Telegram. Avantika charged that the audio clip, which Mamkootathil shared, was from a conversation held in June, and not on August 1. The transwoman charged Mamkootathil sought sexual favours from her, and he allegedly told her, "I want to rape you." Avantika said crucial evidence lies in Telegram, and the Congress leader chatted with her in vanish mode.
However, the allegations levelled by Avantika were just one among a series of sexual assault charges that have been levelled against Mamkootathil. The Congress leader is accused of seeking sexual favours from several women and even forcing a woman to undergo an abortion.
