Court grants conditional bail to Rohit Monserrate

Panaji, Nov 10 (UNI) A local court today granted a conditional bail to Goa Education Minister Atanasio Monserrate's son Rohit, accused of sexually abusing a German minor girl, on a personal bond of Rs 10,000 and one surety of like amount.

The President of the Children's Court Desmond D'Costa, in his order, asked Rohit to deposit his passport at the Calangute police station and to report his presence every day in the said police station for three-days between 1000 hrs and 1300 hrs. The court has also directed him not to tamper with any evidence and not to pressurise the victim.

Earlier, on November 5, Rohit was sent to three-days police remand by Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Mapusa, north Goa.

He surrendered before the Calangute police on November 4.

Later, on November 7, a local court extended the police custody till November 10 and Rohit's bail application was kept for hearing today.

Rohit was arrested in the light of accusation by the 14-year-old girl's mother that he had sexually abused her daughter. The mother made this accusation after going through SMSs.

Meanwhile, in a significant development, the mother of the German minor girl has written a letter to the Calangute police seeking to withdraw the case, her lawyer Aires Rodrigues said.

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