Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC), Panaji, Vaishali Lotlikar, on Friday remanded St Cruz MLA Atanasio \'Babush\' Monserrate, and mother of the minor girl, to three days police custody in the case of allegedly trafficking, drugging and raping a 16-year-old girl.
The two accused will be produced before the Goa Children’s Court on May 9. Police have yet to trace the third accused, a neighbour ‘aunty’ of the minor, who is believed to be the main conspirator who introduced the mother-daughter duo to the St Cruz legislator.
PI (Crime Branch) Dattaguru Sawant appeared before the court on behalf of investigating officer Women\'s police station, inspector Sudiksha Naik, and filed a remand application requesting custody for a period of ten days.
The court was informed that IO Naik has requested to be excused on medical grounds.
In their say before the court, the police offered three major reasons for furthering of Monserrate’s police custody. The first was that his custody is required for recovery and verification of the amount of Rs 50 lakh, which changed hands between Monserrate and the mother, according to the minor girl’s complaint.
Secondly, the investigating team also prioritised the recovery of the mobile of the minor girl, which is believed to be in possession of the ‘aunty’. Lastly, the police sought to point out that the ‘aunty’ is still absconding and has to be traced at the earliest for the case to be taken to its logical conclusion.
Monserrate’s legal counsel, Adv Rajeev Gomes, requested the period of custody to be limited to seven days. The same could be extended depending upon the manner in which the investigation progresses, he said.
Monserrate had deposed before the police at Ribandar on Thursday at 3.15 pm and was arrested later in the evening by the Crime Branch police in connection with the case registered on Wednesday at Panaji Police Station and then transferred to Women\'s police station.
The offence has been booked against him under Sections 3 and 4 (penetrative sexual assault) of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), 2012, Section 8 (2) of Goa Children\'s Act, 2003 and Section 342 (wrongful confined), 328 (causing hurt by various means), 370 (A) (buying or disposing of any person as slave) and 376 (rape), 109 (abetment) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC.
A special investigating team has been formed under the supervision of acting Superintendent of Police (North) Karthik Kashyap and comprising investigating officer inspector of Women’s police station Sudiksha Naik, PI (crime branch) Dattaguru Sawant and PSI (crime branch) Laxi Amonkar to investigate the high-profile case.
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