Atanasio Monserrate, accused of raping a minor girl, has a criminal past

Expelled Goa Congress legislator Atanasio alias Babush Monserrate was arrested on Thursday by the Crime Branch for allegedly raping a minor girl. Although the charges in this case against Monserrate are especially serious, he is a controversial figure who has been accused of various crimes in the past. [caption id=“attachment_2768342” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Atanasio alias Babush Monserrate. CNN-News18[/caption] Monserrate, a former education minister, was elected to the St Cruz constituency on a Congress ticket, but was later expelled from the party after he reportedly began mixing with BJP leaders, according to Zee News. He owns a bungalow in Taleigao village in Goa, which was tense after his arrest. Monserrate had also been charged with attacking a police station in 2008 to get his wife and son released from police custody. According to this report in The Times of India, it was alleged that on 19 February 2008 at around 7.35 pm, around 1,000 people gathered in front of the Panaji police station under Monserrate’s leadership and demanded the suspension of the police inspector there. Monserrate had also allegedly given a provocative speech against the police, after which the mob indulged in violence due to which several police officers were injured. He has also been booked in the past for extortion. The report added that his son Rohit was also arrested for allegedly raping a minor German girl five years ago. He was later acquitted though. Indian Express also reported that Monserrate already has 16 cases registered against him, including those related to criminal intimidation and attempt to murder. On the allegations of raping a minor girl, he had told reporters on Thursday, “I have not done anything wrong. The complaint is totally false and bogus. This is just to frame me. Nothing more than that.” Responding to a media report that he allegedly spiked the girl’s drink before raping her, Monserratte had said, “I watch ‘Sawadhan India’ (TV programme), but I don’t know what they put in the drink. I have not spiked any drink.” With inputs from PTI