Monserratte rape case: BJP, Cong spar over as woman goes missing

The woman who had accused Congress party's Panaji state assembly segment bypoll candidate Atanasio Monserratte of rape in 2016 went missing last week. BJP and Congress argued over her disappearance ushering in a fresh era of political blame game in the state.

Panaji: The BJP and Congress on Tuesday sparred over the disappearance of a woman who had accused Congress's Panaji state assembly segment bypoll candidate Atanasio Monserratte of rape in 2016.

The woman, who was a minor at the time, was undergoing rehabilitation at a facility in South Goa district from where she went missing on April 28 this year, Verna police had said.

Last month, a missing person complaint was lodged and later on May 10, the police registered an FIR for the offence of abduction against an unknown person, Verna police inspector Sandesh Chodankar had said Monday.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Goa BJP chief Vinay Tendulkar expressed concern about the missing woman and said the state government should trace her since she was an important witness in the Monserratte case.

The decision on framing charges against Monserratte will be delivered on June 3 by a local court.

"Her disappearance during such a crucial time is a cause of concern," Tendulkar said.

The Congress, meanwhile, blamed the state government for the woman going missing. "The state government is trying to cover its own fault," said Carlose Fereira, former advocate general and legal adviser to the Congress.

"Maybe the woman has gone for a wedding, maybe she has gone for a party, you never know or maybe genuinely she is missing. We don't know," Fereira said.

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