Briefly Nation

Goa minister's son acquitted in rape case

Panaji: The Goa Children's Court has acquitted Rohit, son of Education Minister Atanasio Monserratte, of the charges of raping a German minor girl. Rohit was arrested in November 2008 for allegedly raping the 14-year-old girl and also sending her lewd messages. The court acquitted Rohit on Wednesday as the girl and her mother refused to cooperate with the prosecution. Both have returned to Germany and were not available to testify before the court. Rohit was accused of raping the victim in his car at Bambolim, a town near Panaji, and thereafter sending her lewd messages

Court refuses to call Bhatt as witness

AHMEDABAD: The special trial court hearing the 2002 Gulberg Society massacre case has refused to call IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt as witness for now since a parallel proceeding related to Bhatt is pending before the Supreme Court. On Thursday, special trial judge B J Dhandha dismissed an application by certain victims and witnesses, who had sought to call Bhatt as a witness in the wake of his affidavit before the SC and his deposition before the Nanavati-Mehta Commission. Their counsel, S M Vohra, had argued that Bhatt seemed to know important things about the case.

Amarnath: 3 more pilgrims die, toll 27

Srinagar: Three Amarnath pilgrims, including a CRPF jawan, died of cardiac arrest in south Kashmir Himalayas, raising the death toll in the ongoing yatra to 27, officials said on Thursday. Constable Inderjeet Singh, posted with 28th Battalion CRPF in Srinagar, died of a heart attack while returning from the 3,880-metre high cave shrine. Singh was on leave. Officials said his body was being brought to the Baltal base camp from where it would be sent to his hometown in Uttar Pradesh. Arun Chawla (54) of Gujarat died of a cardiac arrest at Sangam top on Wednesday evening. Officials are yet to establish the identity of the third pilgrim who died along the Baltal route.

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