The Hindu : National : Goa Minister’s son surrenders

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Goa Minister’s son surrenders

Prakash Kamat

PANAJI: After evading arrest for several days, Rohit Monserratte, elder son of Goa Education Minister Atanasio Monserratte, who allegedly raped and abused a minor German girl, surrendered to the Calangute police in north Goa on Tuesday. He would be produced before a magistrate’s court at Mapusa on Wednesday, police sources said.

Rohit, 21, was accompanied by his father when he arrived at the police station. He was formally arrested under Sections 376, 293 and 354 of the Indian Penal Code read with provisions of the Goa Children’s Act. The Act, enacted in 2003, considers even consensual sex with a minor statutory rape.

Rohit was booked on October 14 after a complaint was lodged by the 14-year-old girl’s mother on October 2. Then he went missing.

Initial reluctance by the girl to depose before the police or get herself medically examined worked in favour of Rohit. But the girl gave her statement before a woman judicial magistrate on Saturday and underwent a medical examination.

The investigation was stepped up following the intervention of the Bombay High Court in October.

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