A legislator in Goa was arrested on Thursday after being accused of raping a minor girl from Nepal, who he also allegedly bought. While Atanasio 'Babush' Monserrate had denied the allegations initially, he later surrendered to police. Monserrate is an independent who was expelled from the Congress party.

According to the 16-year-old, Monserrate bought her from her stepmother and another woman known to her for Rs 50 lakh. The lawmaker allegedly mixed something in her drink that made her lose consciousness. "The next morning, I woke up without my clothes, covered in blood. He was sitting without his clothes on," she said. The girl has been shifted to a government-run home for children.

Defending himself earlier, Monserrate said, "...This is a conspiracy against me. I know that girl and her parents as they are my voters. On her parents' request, I gave her a job. I feel she is doing this on behest of someone."

A formal complaint has been filed against the MLA at the Panaji police station under Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code, according to India Today. Monserrate had served as the state's education minister.