Thiruvanananthapuram| The Congress in Kerala on Sunday continued to keep itself away from the controversy surrounding its Pakakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, who is facing police action in a rape case lodged by a woman.

The party maintained that it had already taken all possible action against the legislator.

AICC general secretary K C Venugopal said the Congress has never tried to run away from the issue while senior leader K Muraleedharan said the party has no role in the action of anyone who is under suspension.

KPCC president Sunny Joseph and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly V D Satheesan have already made the party's stand clear on the matter, Venugopal said while talking to reporters in Alappuzha.

"Compared to any other party, the Congress has taken all possible action in this matter. All leaders have unitedly taken the decision earlier," he said.

Muraleedharan, who had been adopting a strong stand against Mamkootathil as soon as the allegations surfaced, said the MLA had participated in some party programmes recently in his constituency on his own.

The party has now given instructions to him not to participate in any more programmes, he said here.

When reporters pointed out that Mamkootathil had reportedly gone into hiding after the woman lodged a complaint, Muraleedharan said the party has nothing to say as he is under suspension.

Sharing similar views, Palakkad DCC president A Thankappan said the party leadership has not given any direction for Mamkootathil to take part in the poll campaign of any party candidate contesting in the upcoming civic body polls.

He might have attended few a campaign events, but that was not under the direction of the party, he said.

A case was registered against Mamkootathil on Friday after a woman accused him of sexual assault and forcing her to terminate a pregnancy.

Mamkootathil denied the allegations against him, calling them politically motivated, in an anticipatory bail petition filed in a court on the same day.

The court will consider the anticipatory bail petition on Wednesday.

The complainant had approached Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan with her grievance on Thursday, after which the case was registered.

As per the FIR, Mamkootathil assaulted the complainant and raped her on multiple occasions.

A special investigation team has been constituted, and a lookout circular has been issued to prevent the accused from leaving the country.

Mamkootathil was suspended from the primary membership of the Congress on August 25.

He had earlier resigned as Youth Congress state president after Malayalam actress Rini Ann George accused a young leader of misbehaviour, prompting protests by the BJP and the DYFI, the youth wing of the CPI(M).

Subsequently, several women and a transgender person also levelled allegations against him. Mamkootathil was elected as MLA in November last year in a bypoll to the Palakkad seat, following the election of former MLA Shafi Parambil to the Lok Sabha from Vatakara.