Thiruvananthapuram, Jan. 16 -- Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, accused by multiple women of rape and forced abortion, was remanded to judicial custody on Thursday after his three-day police custody ended.

Mamkootathil, who has refused to resign as MLA so far, was produced before the Pathanamthitta first-class judicial magistrate at his residence. Since the SIT, probing the multiple cases of sexual assault involving the legislator, did not press for continued custody, the court remanded him to jail. He was sent back to the sub-jail in Mavelikkara where he had spent a day following his arrest.

A petition for bail filed by the MLA's counsel is expected to be heard by the Thiruvalla first-class judicial magistrate on Friday.

The MLA has c...