Goa rape case mishandled: Russia

Panaji, Dec 16 (ANI): Russian officials have expressed annoyance over the mishandling of the case involving the alleged rape of a Russian girl, and have written a letter to Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat urging him to look into the matter with some seriousness.

In her complaint filed earlier this month, the 25-year-old woman who is associated with a five star hotel has alleged that Goa politician John Fernandes raped her in his car on the night of December 1, after dropping her friend to her place. She said her friend knew Fernandes, who offered to drop them that night.

The Russian consulate has also expressed displeasure over remarks made by Kamat where he questioned what the alleged victim was doing late at night with Fernandes.

The consulate has pointed out that Goa has a poor record in solving rape and murder cases.

It has also advised Russian nationals not to leave their hotels after 10 p.m. and invite trouble, as the Goa government is not capable of ensuring the safety of foreign nationals.

The Goa rape case was debated in the Parliament on Monday, after Shantaram Naik, a Congress MP from Goa suggested that the victim was to blame.

"An alleged rape of a lady who moves with strangers for days together even beyond middle of the night is to be treated on different footings," he said, adding that while rape is a heinous crime.

A Goa city court on Monday cancelled the anticipatory bail granted earlier to Fernandes.

In her complaint to the Russian consulate, the alleged victim has said that the local police pressurised her to withdraw the case and that she felt unsafe after the incident. (ANI)