Aires accuses Babush of planning the assault

NT NETWORK
Posted on 2008-10-15
PANAJI - Activist lawyer, Mr Aires Rodrigues who was seriously injured in the assault by a group of armed masked men, on Tuesday accused the Education Minister, Mr Atanasio Monserratte of planning the assault on him.
“I am 110 per cent sure about the connection between the two cases,” he said referring to his assault and the filing of a sexual harassment complaint against the politician’s son. Mr Rodrigues said that on Monday he had “received calls from people close to Mr Monserrate who had asked me to withdraw the case and warned against pursuing the same,” after they had confirmed that the mobile number was registered in the name of Mr Monserrate.
Mr Rodrigues claimed that the mobile service provider had categorically mentioned that the number is in the name of Mr Atanasio Monserrate. Mr Rodrigues said the attackers entered the restaurant slammed down the shutter and started assaulting them. He said that they tried to hit him on the head, but he tried to protect himself with his hands which led to his fingers getting cut. He also said that he got hit pretty badly by dandas on one side of the head. Mr Rodrigues’ two fingers on the right hand were almost severed and were surgically attached in an emergency operation on Monday night. Mr Sakhadande, probably in a worse condition than Mr Rodrigues, has a very badly damaged ear and is still in a state of shock. Mr Rodrigues said the brutal assault came a short while before he was to accompany Ms Fuchs to depose before the police against the minister’s son.
Reports say that the Home Minister, Mr Ravi Naik summoned the Director General of Police, Mr B S Brar and the Inspector General of Police, Mr Kishen Kumar to his residence on Tuesday morning for a brief discussion on the developments and promised that the accused involved in the attack would be arrested within 24 hours.