PANJIM: In a probable twist into the entire rape episode involving legislator Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate, the stepmother of 16-year-old victim is making all attempts to defend herself by trying to prove her daughter a ‘habitual liar.’
As her three-day custody ends on Monday, the accused has given detailed testimony to the crime branch (CB) sleuths revealing incidents wherein her daughter faked of either her family or friends’ sickness to borrow money from different people.
The stepmother has disclosed this to the authorities interrogating her over the alleged rape by Monserrate.
Crime Branch SP Kartik Kashyap, however, has denied any such revelations by the mother.
The stepmother has questioned the CB that if she had to sell her daughter at Rs 50 lakh, for which she is accused of, why she would approach the police a month ago to trace her missing daughter then and lodge her in Apna Ghar.
In the very first incident that she speaks about how the victim mortgaged a pair of earrings, ring and a bracelet with one bar owner for Rs 12,000 approximately.
“She told the bar owner that her friend was in desperate need of money and she took the step forward to help the needy. However, when her mother realised that her daughter had taken loan against the gold ornaments, she (mother) confronted the minor,” a senior officer told Herald referring to the deposition copy.
The 52-year-old reportedly borrowed Rs 15,000 from a Nepali colleague to get the jewellery back. At this time, she realised that her daughter had allegedly faked about her friend. “The bar owner returned the jewellery and took back Rs 12,000 he had paid the girl, without levying any interest. He pulled up the girl for lying,” the officer said. The bar owner is likely to be summoned soon for recording of statement.
Days later, the mother is said to have told the CB, the school dropout had mortgaged another gold earring with someone at Vasco for Rs 5,000. In a bid to release the earrings, she once again confronted her daughter asking to get it back. “The mother gave the amount to the juvenile to release the earrings but instead she spent part of it at a beauty parlour. One of the employees of the parlour came knocking at the victim’s house and asked the step mother for the balance Rs 2,800 the daughter had not paid,” the officer said.
If this was not it, the victim had allegedly told one of her male friends that she was in need of Rs 20,000 as her sibling was suffering from kidney problem. He, however, gave her only Rs 5,000. Police sources said that the male friend’s statement was recorded before the investigating team. “The incidents corroborate,” he said.
The main accused – Babush — has also told the police that the minor had stolen Rs 4,000 cash from the lifestyle showroom and had borrowed Rs 3,000 from the manager.
While the police are not blindly relying on the deposition as investigation is still underway and statement of witnesses in the process of being recorded, the legislator’s psychological test is set to be conducted at IPHB, Bambolim on Monday.
“The accused can say anything to defend themselves from the case. We are unearthing the truth. Investigation is underway,” the officer said.
