Team Herald
PANJIM: BJP MLA Atanasio ‘Babush’ Monserrate, facing charges of allegedly raping a minor girl in 2016, has sought for the birth certificate of the survivor. During the case hearing before the North Goa District & Sessions Court on Thursday, Babush’s advocate Damodar Dhond pointed out to the contradiction in the investigation over the availability of the birth certificate and urged Judge Sherin Paul to direct the prosecution to produce the document.
“The investigation team had claimed that there is no birth certificate of the victim but the girl’s mother produced the same before the Child Welfare Committee. The prosecution should ask for this crucial document as this would ascertain her age,” he informed the court. Dhond also submitted to the court that the ossification test on the victim had concluded her age between 17 and 18 years.
The court has directed the prosecution to file its reply by September 19 when the case will be heard next. The Court, in June, had ordered framing of charges after rejecting his plea to discharge him in the case.
