from Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji (GA)

Panaji, Nov 11: Goa Children's Court on Monday November 10 granted conditional bail to Rohit, a 21-year-old son of state education minister Atanasio Monserratte, who was booked for raping a minor German girl. 

The court granted conditional bail asking him to report to Calangute police station for next three days.

German mother on October 2 had complained against Rohit of raping her 14-year-old daughter. 

Rohit will walk free after six days in police custody. He was arrested on November 4 after the girl deposed accusing Rohit of sexually abusing her. The medical examination conducted on Rohit had also confirmed the rape.

The German mother earlier had gone public accusing two high profile politicians' kin of sexually exploiting her minor daughter. Besides Rohit, name of state public works department minister Churchill Alemao's nephew Warren had also figured in the case.

Visibly relieved after the bail order, Atanasio Monserratte said that he had faith in the judiciary. "I have maintained right from first day that my son is facing trouble due to political rivalry," he told reporters outside the court.

The minister however refused to comment on whether he would file defamation case against the German mother.

Rohit said that he is innocent and had full faith in the judiciary. "I have not done anything,'' he said.

The sensational rape case was reported to the police on October 2 when German mother lodged a formal complaint. The case was kept under wraps for almost twelve days before mother's lawyer Aires Rodrigues addressed media accusing police of shielding the minister's son.

Police had booked Rohit of rape, outraging the modesty, sending lewd messages and abetting the crime. Thereafter, Rohit went on missing only to appear before the police on November 1.

His statement was recorded hours before the girl deposed in front of the magistrate. For next three days he went missing and surrendered before Calangute police on November 4.