Goa ex-minister's police custody extended in rape case

A trial court in Goa on Monday extended by two more days the police custody of Atanasio Monserrate, a sitting legislator and former cabinet minister accused of raping a minor.

The court also extended by two days the police custody of the minor victim's mother, who allegedly sold her daughter to Goa's former education minister in March.

Monserrate was arrested on May 5 for allegedly drugging, raping and 'purchasing' a minor girl for Rs.50 lakh allegedly from a pimp, Rosy Ferros, who had in turn allegedly purchased the minor from her mother.

According to the complaint filed by the victim before the women's police station, the crime allegedly occurred in March this year.

The third accused in the case, Ferros, has also been arrested and is in police custody.

Monserrate is an unattached legislator, but was elected on a Congress ticket in the 2012 state assembly elections. He has served as a minister in cabinets of the Congress as well as BJP-led alliance governments over the last decade.

--IANS

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