Social activist Aires Rodrigues, who was brutally assaulted on Monday night, has named Goa Education Minister Atanasio Monseratte as the mastermind behind the attack.
PANAJI: Social activist Aires Rodrigues, who was brutally assaulted on Monday night, has named Goa Education Minister Atanasio Monseratte as the mastermind behind the attack.
Rodrigues said that he was being targeted by the Minister as he had exposed the Minister on every front and also helped German mother Fadela Fuchs get justice.
The Minister, however, has flatly denied the allegations levelled against him and instead claimed that a political mastermind was instrumental in carrying out the attack.
Rodrigues along with a historian Prajal Sakhardande were attacked last night in a city restaurant by around six masked persons who were armed with choppers and knives.
The social activist, who heads an organisation named Utt Goenkara, had filed a complaint against Monseratte for faking education qualifications in the affidavit.
Rodrigues, who is a lawyer by profession, has also aided German researcher Fadela in her quest for justice. The police had been hesitant in pursuing Fadela's complaint wherein she had claimed that Education Minister Monseratte's elder son Rohit was harassing her 14-year-old daughter both sexually and mentally.
Rodrigues said that he has named the Minister in the assault complaint filed with the police last night.
After a delay of almost 12 days, the police have taken a statement of the mother in the sexual abuse case of her daughter. "Superintendent of Police Bosco George has told me that he will arrest Rohit within a couple of hours or latest by evening," Rodrigues, who is presently in hospital, said.
Citing media reports that Monseratte had denied his son's involvement in the sexual abuse and lewd SMS case, Rodrigues today claimed that the mobile service provider has categorically mentioned that the number is in the name of Atanasio Monseratte.
The Minister, reacting to the allegation, has claimed that he is not involved in the attack. "I am already going through deep trouble. Why would I think of attacking the complainant and become the obvious suspect. This is the handiwork of a political mastermind," Monseratte said.
Goa police, who drew flak for their inefficiency in handling sensational cases, remained tight-lipped.
The Home Minister Ravi Naik summoned Director General of Police B S Brar and Inspector General of Police Kishen Kumar to his residence this morning to get a brief on the developments. After the meeting Naik told mediapersons that the accused involved in the attack would be arrested within 24 hours.
The Home Minister however remained non-committal on the sexual abuse case. "We have not yet received the complaint," Naik said.
IGP Kishen Kumar when contacted refused to entertain the media stating that the SP concerned would be briefing the press at an appropriate time.
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