Local Goa News

Sunday, May 29, 2016

Rape case involving Babush: victim’s fresh statement confuses cops

PANAJI: In a new twist to the minor girl rape case involving St Cruz MLA Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate, the victim has provided a fresh statement pertaining to the incident, in total contrast to her previous version.
Sources said that the victim is now mentioning some other dates of occurrence of the incident. Sources said that the victim has even told the investigating agency that she was angry with her mother as she was against her lifestyle.
Owing to this fresh development, police are now in a dilemma. In her fresh statement, recorded a couple of days back, there is no mention of Rs 50 lakh. Sources said that her statements were recorded owing to a number of contradictions in her previous statements and other loopholes in the case.
According to information, earlier, March 6 and March 8 were said to be the two days in question. However, now the victim is said to be mentioning some other dates, sources said.
Sources said that the mother was trying to put restrictions on the victim owing to her alleged unconventional behaviour. Angered over her mother’s opposition, the victim in her previous statement had told the police that accused Rosy had informed her that her mother had sold her to Babush for Rs 50 lakh.
It may be recalled that police had registered an FIR based on the facts disclosed by the victim in her first statement (which was treated as the complainant’s) and subsequently her supplementary statements were recorded. Later, statements were also recorded before JMFC Panaji under CrPC 164. However, there was no consonance in her statements and in her CrPC 164 statement, the victim had not mentioned about Rs 50 lakh.
The Children’s Court had on May 18 granted conditional bail to Babush and the other two accused, the victim’s mother and Rosy Ferros. According to sources, police are unlikely to challenge the order of the court. However, the investigation will continue and the charge sheet will be filed as per the offences based on which the FIR was registered.
Babush and the victim’s mother were in custody of the police from May 5 whereas Ferros was arrested on May 7.
It may be recalled that the bail was granted virtually tearing apart the prosecution case wherein acting judge of the Children’s Court, Pramod Kamat, in the order had observed that “the investigation so far carried out is tainted, polluted and fragile in nature and as such, there is no justification to allow the applicants (accused) to continue in custody (police).” The judge had also observed that the investigating authority had failed to disclose a prima facie case against the accused or reasonable grounds to detain them or any one of them in custody.
It may be recalled that an offence was registered on May 4 on the basis of statements given by the victim in the presence of child welfare committee. The FIR was registered at Panaji police station and subsequently transferred to Panaji women’s police station.

NT Network Goa News

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