By IANS,
Panaji : A children’s court here has ordered framing of charges against Rohit Monserrate, son of Goa Education Minister Atanasio Monserrate. Rohit is accused of raping and sending vulgar messages to a minor German girl.
Setting aside the arguments put forth by Rohit’s counsel, Goa Children’s Court president Desmond D’Costa observed that there was sufficient reason to indicate the involvement of Rohit in the rape of the 14-year-old German girl.
The police chargesheet filed in January said Rohit raped the girl in his Audi car near Bambolim in September last year. Police also claimed to have evidence that Rohit had sent several vulgar SMSes to the girl.
The police had initially refused to register a first information report (FIR), when the rape first came to light in October last year, but were forced to act after the German consulate intervened and insisted that a formal complaint be lodged.
Rohit was subsequently arrested and released soon on bail after the police told the court that they did not need him in custody for interrogation.