Goa legislator Atanasio Monserratte, who was arrested for allegedly buying and raping a minor girl, has been granted bail by a local court on Wednesday.
District and Sessions Judge Pramod Kamat granted bail to Monserratte, and also the girl’s mother and another woman, Rosy Ferros, arrested for allegedly selling her to the MLA for Rs.50 lakh.
The St Cruz legislator has been asked to furnish bail amount of Rs.1,00.000 and a surety of the like amount. He has been asked to appear before Crime Branch for next seven days.
The two other accused women were asked to furnish bail amount of Rs.25,000 each and sureties of the like amount. They were also asked to report to the Crime Branch for seven days.
The legislator, who had been expelled from Congress last year, was arrested on May 5.
Goa police is investigating the case against Monserratte who has been booked for buying the 16-year-old girl and raping her in March.
He was booked under IPC sections 376 (rape), 328 (poisoning), 342 (wrongful confinement), 370 (A) (trafficking), provisions of Goa Children Act and Protection of Children From Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
