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Goa minister's son gets bail in rape case
Goa Education Minister Atanasio Monserrate's son Rohit, charged with raping a minor German girl, was granted conditional bail here on Monday, a day after the victim's mother sought to withdraw her complaint saying she was "frustrated" with the police probe.
- IANS
- Published: 00:11 November 11, 2008
Panaji: Goa Education Minister Atanasio Monserrate's son Rohit, charged with raping a minor German girl, was granted conditional bail here on Monday, a day after the victim's mother sought to withdraw her complaint saying she was "frustrated" with the police probe.
Rohit, 21, was in police custody since his arrest on November 4 for allegedly raping and texting lewd messages to the 14-year-old German girl.
The accused was released on a bail bond of Rs10,000 (Dh765) and has been asked to report to the Calangute police station every day for the next three days.
His father, Atanasio Monserrate told reporters outside the Goa Children's Court premises in the state capital Panaji that he was relieved and maintained that he had "full faith in the judiciary".
"We have just got bail now. I have always maintained that this entire case is nothing but a result of political rivalry," he added.
Rohit has repeatedly maintained his innocence. On Sunday, the mother of the 14-year-old victim sought to withdraw her complaint saying she was "dissatisfied and frustrated" with the police probe.
In her complaint submitted to the Calangute police October 2, the girl's mother had complained that Rohit had raped her daughter and had been sending her lewd SMSs.
The police refused to register the complaint and took cognisance of it 12 days later, only after the German Consul General Walter Stechel wrote to the Goa chief secretary asking him to "vigorously" investigate the case.
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