Goa minister appears in court for attack on police station

Goa's education minister Atanasio Monserratte was amongst the 37 accused who were present before a local court today in connection with a two-year-old case of attack on a police station.

All the accused appeared before the judicial magistrate first class today, which is hearing the case.

They are facing charges for rioting and attack on public servants with dangerous weapons, damaging public property and also use of fire and explosives.

The minister, along with the then mayor Tony Rodrigues in February 2008 was a part of a group that gheraoed the Panaji
police station demanding release of the accused arrested in a gang rivalry, said a chargesheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The accused had pelted stones on the police station injuring six policemen seriously.

The morcha, led by Monserratte, turned violent after it set two-wheelers on fire outside the police station. Rodrigues and Monserratte were later arrested.

Police had registered a first information report (FIR) against 524 people.

Later, the case was handed over to the CBI, which has charge-sheeted 37 persons, on demand from Taleigao MLA who went to the high court alleging police atrocities.