Goa police acted 12 days late: German Consul

It was a written appeal from Walter Steckel, German Consul General in Mumbai, to Goa’s chief secretary JP Singh that forced the local police to finally register a case against Rohit Monseratte, reports Mayabhushan Nagvenkar.

It was a written appeal from Walter Steckel, German Consul General in Mumbai, to Goa’s chief secretary JP Singh that forced the local police to finally register a case against Rohit Monseratte, 12 days after German citizen Fadela Fuchs complained that her daughter had been raped by him.

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Though Fuchs lodged her complaint at the Calangute police station on October 2, the case was filed only on Tuesday. Rohit is the 21-year-old son of Goa’s education minister Atanasio Monseratte.

“The necessary steps were taken only after we expressed our concern,” Steckel told HT on telephone. “We hope justice will be done.”

“I would be most grateful if you could ensure that criminal investigation is pursued vigorously and that the safety of Fadela Fuchs and her daughter not compromised,” Steckel’s letter to the chief secretary reads.

Rohit is still absconding and police officials fear he may have fled the country, said Bosco George, Superintendent of Police.

Since Rohit is also charged with sending lewd SMSes to the minor using a mobile phone registered in his father’s name, Monseratte has been named as a co-accused.

Police sources revealed that they had been under enormous pressure to quash the case. Even after it was registered, senior police officials were severely rebuked at an informal meeting with senior politicians at the chief minister's residence on Tuesday night for charging the minister as well.

“My son is innocent. The police have launched a vendetta against our family,” said Monseratte.

"If Rohit is innocent let him come to the police station and prove it, " George responded.