PANAJI
slowing down the pace of investigation.The epicentre of this grey area is occupied by the magisterial statement of the minor girl wherein she has stated that her mother and her neighbour Rosy Ferros took her to meet Monserrate. Couple of days later, on March 6, they took her to meet him again at around 6 pm and left without her.However, the date -- March 6 -- is reportedly being scrutinised not just by the defence team but by the prosecution as well. It may be recalled that the polls to Corporation of City of Panaji, which were contested by Monserrate s 30-member panel, were held on March 6 from 8 am to 6 pm.The minor had also stated that she was sedated and raped on March 6 night between 7.30 pm and 10 am the next day and was dropped off home by Monserrate s driver at around 11 am.The investigating team appears to have a mammoth task ahead of it in its quest to fill the 15-hour blind spot left in the girl s statement between 7.30 pm on March 6 and 10 am the next day. While the minor girl has stated that she was sedated during that time, the police will also have to prove the type of drug which could be used to stupefy a person for 15 hours at a stretch.Meanwhile, residents of the Taleigao neighbourhood where Monserrates farmhouse is located have denied that he employed a driver. “I have never seen a driver at that house,” said one of the neighbours.It was also provided that Monserrate s maid leaves the compound at 5.30 pm every day. This assumes significance as the minor had stated that the maid served her snacks and soft drinks between 6 pm and 7.30 pm on March 6, which she claims were spiked.
Whenr sought for his comments, Monserrate s legal counsel Adv Rajiv Gomes rconfirmed that the legislator does not employ a driver, but refused to roffer any details about this maid.In another development, the rinvestigating team on Tuesday roped in the cyber crime police to decode rand analyse the information available on the mobile phone which was robtained from the third accused Rosy Ferros. This phone was temporarily rused by the minor girl and data stored therein could prove crucial in restablishing a connection between the three accused and the girl.The rthird accused in the minor girl rape case, Rosy Ferros (47) will be rproduced before the Goa Children s Court on Wednesday.The investigating rteam led by Women s police station, Panaji PI Sudiksha Naik is likely tor push for grant of 10 days further police custody for Ferros.Ferros was rpreviously remanded to three days police custody on Sunday by Judicial rMagistrate First Class (JMFC), Panaji. She is accused of facilitating rcontact between the mother-daughter duo and Monserrate and thereafter rmediating the alleged deal of Rs 50 lakh. The mother of the minor girl rhad moved bail application before Children s Court and the hearing has rbeen set for May 12.
UNDER SCRUTINY - MARCH 6 >>
The date is under scrutiny not just by the defence team but by the prosecution as well The alleged victim stated that her mother and her neighbour Rosy Ferros took her to meet Monserrate On March 6, they took her to meet him again at around 6 pm and left without her CCP polls were contested by Monserrate s 30-member panel, held on March 6 from 8 am to 6 pm 15-hour blind spot left in the girl s statement between 7.30 pm on March 6 and 10 am the next day
