Law is equal for everybody, says Goa law minister

Ravi Naik rubbished charges of ‘personal vendetta’ levelled against him by Atanasio Monserratte whose son is the rape accused.

Rubbishing charges of ‘personal vendetta’ levelled against him by state Education Minister Atanasio Monserratte, whose son is accused of raping a minor German girl, Goa Home Minister Ravi Naik said that law stands equal for everybody.

“We will not spare if someone is culprit but at the same time will ensure that injustice is not done to anyone,” Naik said.

He said that law was equal for everybody and individuals do not matter. “I have not targeted anybody. The police are doing their job,” Naik said.

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Monserratte has earlier said that Naik was unleashing ‘personal vendetta’ against him.

The Education Minister on Wednesday night said that he and his family were being targeted for no fault of theirs.

“Today it is my family. Tomorrow it can be of any other legislator,” he had said.

His son Rohit Monserratte was booked for rape, outraging modesty and sending lewd text messages from cellphone to the 14-year-old girl whose mother Fadela Fuchs, a researcher, had lodged a complaint against him on October 2.

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The police have also charged Monserratte with abetting the crime as the cellphone used by Rohit is in the Minister’s name.

Rohit has been missing since the time police registered a complaint against him. Monserratte’s wife Jeniffer said she is not aware about Rohit’s whereabouts.

However, Naik said that Monserratte is trying to divert the issue.

“Police are doing their job. I have not instructed anyone. They are acting on the complaint,” the Home Minister said

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