Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil on Friday approached the Thiruvananthapuram District Court seeking anticipatory bail in the rape case registered against him, even as the Kerala Police moved to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the serious allegations. 

In his petition, the Congress leader said he shared a long-standing friendship with the complainant and categorically denies all charges of rape and of coercing her to have an abortion.