Panaji: Expelled Congress leader and St. Cruz MLA Atanasio Monserrate, alias, Baabush, who was on Wednesday booked on the charges of raping a minor migrant girl, was on Friday presented before a local court here and sent to three-day police remand.
The accused step mother of the survivor has also been sent to three-day police custody.
The defence lawyer Rajiv Gomes did not object to remand petition but moved an application asking to restrain the investigating police authorities from revealing the details of investigation to the media.
He said the statement of the survivor was published in the newspapers today and cited a Bombay High Court judgement for restraining the police against tarnishing the image of his client. He also said the charges on his client were politically motivated.
Monserrate was yesterday arrested reportedly after he surrendered before the Goa Police.
The Goa Police had on Wednesday registered an FIR against Monserrate under section 8 of the Goa Children’s Act and sections 3 and 4 of the POCSO Act, besides various IPC sections of rape, assault and restraining the survivor.
Earlier, police searched his properties on the outskirts of Panaji. (ANI)