PANAJI: The Women’s Cell of the Panaji Police has filed charge sheet against former Taleigao MLA Atanasio “Babush” Monserrate for having allegedly drugged and raped a girl at his residence in Taleigao.
The 250-odd page affidavit filed by the Panaji women’s police station claims Monserrate committed the offenses that of raping the minor girl, with section 376 of the Indian Penal Code, human trafficking, section 370 A of the IPC, Section 328 (poisoning) and section 324 of wrongful confinement.
The victim had in a statement to the police back in 2016 accused Monserrate of buying her, drugging her and sexually assaulting her.
The legislator was released on bail after his defence argued that her tale didn’t add up and that there were several loopholes in her account.
Monserrate had then accused the ruling dispensation of deliberately targeting him ahead of the Goa Assembly elections and has denied all the charges against him.
Monserrate spent around eight days in jail after he surrendered before the police. He was granted bail eight days later.
