PANJIM: Adding to the woes of activist advocate Aires Rodrigues, already facing charges of sexual harassment and defamation of character, a separate complaint was filed against him on Tuesday when NGO Savera approached the Women’s Police Station seeking action against him.
Rodrigues has already been booked under Sections 354 (A) (iv)(sexual harassment), 509 (words or gesture to insult modesty of a woman), 500 (defamation) of Indian Penal Code after the victim lodged a complaint at Anjuna police station accusing him of circulating on social media an alleged video footage linking her with Water Resources Minister Vinod Palyekar.
On Tuesday, Savera filed a separate complaint charging him with criminally conspiring to defame the lady. “The posts circulated by Rodrigues have lowered the repute of the woman in social life and further damaged the dignity of the women in Goa. The character assassination by him is a wild criminal conspiracy to lower the dignity of women which is nothing but a publicity stunt,” the complaint filed by Savera president Tara Kerkar states.
The NGO has sought action against Rodrigues, alleging that he used the same modus operandi to defame several women, by revealing their identity. “He has disclosed names, places, and other details linking any woman with another person. This act of his has not only defamed those women but was also released on social media without any verification. The police should take strict action against him,” she said addressing the media outside the Women’s police station.
As Anjuna police launched an investigation, Rodrigues filed a counter complaint against the victim, her husband and two unknown men ‘for forming an unlawful assembly, criminally trespassing into his office, assaulting him after having threatened and abused him with dire consequences besides throwing an ink bottle on his body.’
At around 8:30 am on Monday, the foursome including the victim had confronted Rodrigues over the posts circulated on social media and thereafter hurled a bottle of ink on him. The video of the confrontation, which has gone viral, shows Rodrigues trying to escape and entering a shop for shelter.
“The accused criminally trespassed and barged into my office at Ribandar and unlawfully restrained me and threatened me as to why I had taken up the issue of the alleged sex scandal involving Palyekar to which I stated that I had taken up the issue in public Interest as I had bonafide reason to believe that the Minister, misusing his position, was sexually exploiting vulnerable women,” Rodrigues said in a complaint letter to Anjuna police station on Tuesday.
Rodrigues has sought that the police secure the call details of the accused including that of Palyekar, Minister Vijai Sardesai and Durgadas Kamat.
Anjuna PI C L Patil said a decision on an arrest would be taken after gathering evidence against Rodrigues. “We are gathering evidence based on complaint filed against him,” he said. Rodrigues’ counter complaint has been forwarded to Old Goa police station. Late Tuesday night, Old Goa Police registered the complaint.
