Rupesh Samant

Daijiworld Media Network – Panaji

Panaji, Nov 14: Goa Pradesh Mahila Congress Committee President Pratima Coutinho on Wednesday was questioned on connection with the case related to revealing identity of a minor girl, who is a victim of a molestation.

Goa Shiv Sena unit and other NGOs had filed complaint against Coutinho at Women Police Station in Panaji after the Women Congress leader allegedly posted a picture of her with mother of the victim, thereby revealing identity of the girl.

The case has been filed against Coutinho under section 74 of Juvenile Justice Act, Section 4 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and Section 8 (2) of Goa Children’s Act.

Police Sub Inspector Sandhya Gupta, who is investigating the case, questioned Coutinho for over an hour at Women’s Police Station this afternoon.

Earlier, on July 14, 2018, Coutinho was questioned in connection with the same offence.

A minor girl from Netravali village in Sanguem Assembly Constituency in South Goa was allegedly molested by a Jharkhand based youth. The girl had filed formal complaint with local police station after which a delegation of Mahila Congress led by Coutinho had visited the house of the victim.

Emerging from the police station, Coutinho said that she was being harassed as “accused in the molestation case works with an influential minister in Goa government.”

“All attempts are being made to harass me so that my voice is suppressed. Mahila Congress has taken up several causes in the State creating uncomfortable situation for the state government due to which I am being attacked this way using police machinery,” she said.

Coutinho alleged that Sanguem police were trying to protect the accused molester while she (coutinho) is being harassed though she had gone to give justice to the victim.