PANAJI: Goa police, probing the minor girl’s rape case involving St Cruz MLA Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate, is on the lookout for a white colour car with tinted glasses.
The car in question was reportedly used to move the victim girl to the Babush’s farmhouse where she was allegedly raped in March this year.
According to police, the third accused Rosy Ferros is not disclosing anything about the car used by her to carry the victim to the house of the accused Babush. The car is yet to be recovered, police have said.
On the contrary, Rosy’s counsel Damodar Dhond said she (Rosy) does not own a white car (at the time of alleged offence) which the police are searching for. Sometime back Rosy purchased a second hand silver colour car. She does not have a driving licence nor she knows to drive, said Dhond while arguing on the police remand application before the Children’s Court on Wednesday.
Police had sought 7 days police custody however after hearing the defense counsel and the prosecution, the judge remanded the accused to three days custody. Rosy along with Babush and the victim mother will be produced before the court on Monday. It may be recalled that Ferros had surrendered at the Crime Branch police station, Ribandar on Saturday last week.
According to sources, it had come to light that the accused Rosy had introduced the victim and the mother to Babush, and had allegedly mediated the deal and delivered her (victim) to the accused Babush for sexual exploitation for consideration of Rs 50,00,000. While Rosy and the victim mother have filed bail applications, Babush has not.
One of the grounds on which police sought custody of Rosy was that they needed to interrogate her on the number of SMSs revealing communication between her and Babush. According to information, the SMSs are pertaining to inquires of the victim and her mother and about when they are migrating to their native place. The SMSs dated in April, few weeks after the incident of alleged rape of the 16-year-old girl.
However, the defense counsel Dhond said the victim was lodged in Apna Ghar, Merces in April and her family being voters Babush had inquired with Rosy about it. According to Dhond, there are contradictions in the statements of the victim.
At one point she says she had been to Babush’s house on March 6 for the purpose of job whereas in her supplementary statement she claimed she was employed at the store (of Babush) in Miramar from December 1, 2015 and worked there till March 4, 2016. According to Dhond, she has confessed of stealing some thousands (rupees) from the store and in this context had sent SMSs to her colleague from workplace regretting her action.