Goa minister Atanasio Monserrate acquitted in 2016 rape case
Panaji (PTI): A special court in Goa on Wednesday acquitted BJP MLA and minister Atanasio Monserrate in a rape case registered against him nearly a decade ago.
Monserratte, who holds the revenue portfolio, was booked in 2016 for allegedly raping a minor.
Special Judge Irshad Agha has now acquitted the minister of all charges.
As per the FIR registered by the Goa police, a minor girl had alleged that she was sold to then St Cruz MLA Monserratte who drugged and raped her.
Initially, the case was registered against the minister under the Goa Children’s Act. Later, the charge was dropped and sections under the Indian Penal Code were invoked after an ossification test indicated that she was above 16 years of age.
The case was tried before the district court after the police filed a 250-page chargesheet against him. A total of 40 witnesses were examined during the trial.
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Chikkaballapur: Three women sentenced to seven years for trafficking teen into prostitution
Chikkaballapur: The Additional District and Sessions Court in Chikkaballapur on February 9th convicted three women and sentenced them to seven years of rigorous imprisonment in a human trafficking and prostitution case registered by the Chikkaballapur Women Police Station in March 2022, The Hindu reported.
According to the police, the prime accused lured the victim, who was around 19 years old, on the pretext of offering her a job at a beauty parlour in Bengaluru. The teenager, who had been a victim of child marriage, was reportedly facing financial difficulties.
Police said she was taken from Chikkaballapur to Bengaluru, and from there to Delhi, and later confined to a room, where she was allegedly forced into prostitution.
The investigation revealed that the accused had sold the victim for Rs 3 lakh and kept her confined in a brothel, where she was subjected to sexual exploitation. Other women were also allegedly brought to the same premises for prostitution.
After nearly two months, the victim managed to escape and return to her hometown. She later filed a complaint at the Women Police Station in June 2022.
Following the trial, the I Additional District and Sessions Judge, Chikkaballapur, convicted the accused. Venkataramanamma was sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 7,000, her associates Lakshmi Narasamma, to seven years’ rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000, and Sharada, to seven years’ rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 15,000.
The investigation was conducted under the supervision of Superintendent of Police Kushal Chowksi, IPS. The prosecution was led by Special Public Prosecutor Zahida Banu D.K.
