Goa MLA Babush Monserrate, who was arrested after he attacked the state police headquarters on Tuesday, was released on bail by a Sessions court on Thursday.

However, immediately after his release, he was again taken into custody for his role in assaulting scores of Youth Congress workers at Taleigao last month.

Monserrate, a four-time MLA, who makes and breaks governments, is known for the iron hand with which he virtually lords over his Taleigao constituency on the outskirts of Panaji.

Five years ago, Monserrate decided to plunge into electoral politics himself and virtually took over Goa’s administration.

Former Chief Ministers Pratapsinh Rane (Congress) and Manohar Parrikar (BJP) made feeble attempts at reining him in by forcing Monserrate to join their parties but to no effect.

Monserrate regularly made a mockery of the anti-defection law by quitting parties and contesting afresh regularly in the hope that his voters would not disappoint him. Such is his clout that in the past five years Monserrate was said to have ordered the transfer of policemen even though he had no Cabinet post.

Two months ago, Monserrate went one step ahead. He attacked the Rajiv Gandhi Information Technology Habitat at Dona Paula outside Panaji and damaged Government property as he was opposed to the facility coming up in his backyard.

Office-bearers of the Youth Congress, who supported the project, were badly beaten up and several were hospitalised. Monserrate and his men got away scot-free despite the fact that the Congress party was in power.

... contd.