Panaji, Oct 18 (IANS) Fadela Fuchs, mother of the 14-year-old girl who was allegedly raped by Goa Education Minister Atanasio Monseratte's son Rohit, has complained to police that the mother of the accused had threatened her while asking her to withdraw her complaint.
Fadela's counsel Aires Rodrigues made this disclosure at a press conference at a city hospital Saturday afternoon.
He produced a piece of paper on which Jennifer Monserrate had scribbled her name and mobile number and allegedly handed it over to Fadela, when she had visited the victim's home Oct 3. A day after the German mum had filed the complaint.
'We have filed a complaint under section 195 (a) of the Indian Penal Code,' Rodrigues said.
Rodrigues said the state was conspiring with the Monserrates to protect the 21-year-old accused, who has been absconding for more than a week.
'Jennifer told the media that it was the advocate general who had advised her, that the police had erred in procedure while filing the complaint. How can the state advocate general advise the accused in this case?' Rodrigues asked, adding that it was the duty of the law official to advise the police and not the family of the accused.
'The government is acting in connivance with the accused. It is not safeguarding the interest of the minor victim,' Rodrigues told IANS.
He said he had informed Chief Minister Digambar Kamat about the advocate general's 'transgression' and hoped some action would be initiated against him.
Rodrigues, a high court lawyer and rights activist, was assaulted by a group of masked men Monday night while having dinner with a colleague at a restaurant in Panaji. He lost two fingers in the attack.
Meanwhile, five people arrested in connection with the assault on Rodrigues have been remanded to seven days in police custody.
The latest arrests take the number of people nabbed for assaulting the lawyer to eight.
Rodrigues alleged the assailants were sent by Atanasio Monserrate the day before he was to accompany Fuchs to the police headquarters to pursue the complaint against Rohit.
Fuchs had complained to police Oct 2 that Rohit had raped her daughter and had sent her obscene SMSes.
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