the defence heavily scrutinized the credibility of the accusations. Concluding this extensive legal battle, a special court in Goa officially acquitted the BJP MLA of all charges related to the 2016 rape case on February 11, 2026.
The crux of the defence’s argument revolved around the highly inconsistent statements provided by the victim throughout the court proceedings. Advocate Damodar Dhond specifically pointed out that the victim had given six distinct statements and entirely different versions of the events over time. He emphasized to the court that one of these statements directly contradicted another, even when presented before the very same judge. According to Adv. Dhond, the prosecution’s case leaned almost entirely on medical evidence and this contradictory testimony, culminating in the victim ultimately claiming the entire case to be false.
This high-profile legal battle dates back to 2016 when an FIR was registered against Monserrate by the Goa police, following allegations by a minor girl that she was sold to the MLA, drugged, and raped. The charges initially fell under the Goa Children’s Act but were later shifted to sections of the Indian Penal Code after an ossification test indicated the victim was above sixteen years of age. After years of legal proceedings, which involved a 250-page chargesheet and the examination of 40 witnesses, Special Judge Irshad Agha cleared the Minister of all charges due to a lack of substantial evidence.
