Panaji:  A court in Goa  has acquitted State Minister Atanasio Monserrate  in connection with a 2016 rape case, bringing an end to a long-running legal battle. According to the FIR registered by the Goa Police in 2016, a minor girl had alleged that she was sold to Monserrate, who was then the St Cruz MLA, and that she was drugged and sexually assaulted. The case had sparked significant political controversy in the state at the time. ⚖ Court’s Verdict The trial court, after ex

Panaji: A sessions court in Goa has acquitted state minister Atanasio Monserrate in a 2016 rape case, bringing an end to a long-running legal battle that stemmed from allegations made by a minor girl. According to the First Information Report (FIR) registered by the Goa Police in 2016, the complainant had alleged that she was sold to Monserrate, then the MLA from St Cruz, and that he had drugged and raped her. The case was registered under relevant sections of the Indian Pen