Goa minor rape case: Legislator's police custody extended

Panaji, May 9  Goa MLA Atanasio Monserrate, who is accused of raping a minor, was on Monday remanded to a further three days in police custody by the Goa Children's Court which conducts trials and remand proceedings related exclusively to crimes against children.

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

Monserrate was arrested along with the mother of the victim on Thursday, while the alleged pimp, Rosy Ferro, was arrested by the Crime Branch on Sunday.

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