Panaji: One of the two accused in the nine-year-old Russian girl rape case, who had engaged the victim`s mother while the crime was being committed, was on Friday arrested by Goa Police which intensified efforts to nab the main accused.
Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Ravindra Yadav told a news agency that Anil Raghuvanshi, one of the two men, mentioned by Russian mother in her complaint, was arrested from Panaji bus stand this morning.
Yadav said the accused in his thirties was picked up from a bus which had arrived from Bangalore and was taken to Pernem police station, where the case is registered.
"He was on his way to Bangalore when we spoke to him yesterday," he said.
Goa Police on Thursday had identified the main accused as Aman Bharadwaj, from Uttar Pradesh, who allegedly raped the victim, holidaying in Goa with her mother on Arambol beach on January 26.
He did so when his accomplice Anil, who is from Madhya Pradesh`s Hoshangabad district, diverted the mother`s attention by striking a conversation with her.
Yadav said that police had spoken to Anil on his cell yesterday and thereafter his mobile was out of coverage area or had been switched off.
The accused duo are colleagues in a pharmaceutical firm at Dhargal industrial estate and were part of a group, that had gone to Arambol for a picnic on Republic Day.
Goa Chief Minister Digamber Kamat said that he was personally monitoring the investigations.
"I am personally monitoring the case. Goa is safe for tourists. There is no need to worry," Kamat told a TV channel. Referring to the statement of State Tourism Minister Fransisco Pacheco, who demanded that the Home Minister be changed, Kamat said ministers talking against government should realise that they are part of it and should exercise some restraint.
Reacting to the arrest, Vikram Varma, counsel for Russian consulate in Goa told the agency that "This arrest is a welcome step in the right direction. The state must come down with a heavy hand in crimes against women and children."
Varma said conviction rate in crimes against foreigners was disturbing. "Hopefully this arrest and the quality of investigations provided by a good leadership in the Goa Police would be detrimental towards future crimes against women and children".
A senior police officer said that state police has intensified efforts to nab Aman, who is on the run. "We are in touch with our counterparts in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh. Aman?s photograph has been sent to all the police stations," he said.
Two police teams have also been dispatched to Belgaum and Mumbai to track down the accused, he added.
PTI
