IANS

Panaji, Jul 6: After calling 28-year-old Nadia Torrado former Goa tourism minister Mickky Pacheco's "family friend" ever since she killed herself by consuming rat poison, his counsel Monday said that she had been "advertising herself as Pachecho's wife".

Advocate Surendra Desai, arguing on behalf of Pacheco before the additional district and sessions judge in Margao, also said that Nadia could have consumed the rat poison after reading an advertisement for a local theatre performance in a local newspaper recently, which said Mickky Pacheco would be attending the performance with his 'wife' Viola.

"Nadia was advertising herself as Pacheco's wife. That is evident from the airlines tag found at her house, which read her identity as wife of tourism minister," Desai said, referring to a charred boarding pass found by the police at Nadia's home after her death.

"On May 14 there was an advertisement about a drama scheduled in the Benaulim constituency, represented by Pacheco, in which Viola Fernandes, was named as wife of Pacheco (chief guest for the theatre performance), which might have irked Nadia," Desai claimed.

Booked twice for assaulting government servants at work, Pacheco's flamboyant and bohemian lifestyle also includes imported vehicles, designers clothes, occasionally wearing colourful bandanas to work and relationships with several women.

While Pacheco is married to Sara, he is currently living in with Viola Fernandes, who he has referred to as his wife on several occasions. Sara has already filed a case of bigamy and domestic violence against Pacheco with the authorities in Goa.

The former minister who once told the media "I can have as many women as I want", is also alleged to have had an affair with Nadia at the time of her death.