Cong MLA, Panaji Mayor accused of molestation; seek pre-arrest

A case of molestation and assault has been filed by a woman against three persons including Panaji MLA Atanasio Monserratte and city Mayor Uday Madkaikar following a ruckus during an anti-encroachment drive.

Monserratte and the other two moved a court Saturday, seeking anticipatory bail.

The alleged incident took place during action taken by the Corporation of City of Panaji (CCP) Friday to remove an alleged illegal structure at the office of 'Big Daddy', an off-shore casino anchored in the river Mandovi.

The staircase of the office allegedly encroached on the footpath. Monserratte, the newly elected Congress MLA, mayor Madkaikar and former mayor Yatin Parekh accompanied the CCP workers when they went to remove it.

They faced opposition from a group which included casino employees.

A woman who was part of the group later alleged that Monserratte, Madkaikar and Parekh touched her inappropriately, abused her and outraged her modesty, police said.

"In her complaint lodged late last night, the woman also alleged that the accused threatened to kill her," police sub-inspector Arun Abhay Gawas-Desai said.

A case under IPC sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt),354 (assault outraging woman's modesty), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) was registered, he said.

Monserratte claimed that no such incident took place. He was present at the site only to oversee the demolition work, he said.

"None of the persons named in the complaint were involved in any such action of outraging modesty," he said.

He and the other two moved a court here seeking pre- arrest bail Saturday.

"All three have sought anticipatory bail before principal sessions judge Irshad Agha," said Swapnil Nasnodkar, their lawyer.

The accused have been framed up, he claimed.