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MLA Atanasio Monserrate, who was booked for allegedly raping a minor, surrendered on Thursday before crime branch of Goa police. On Wednesday, Goa police registered an FIR against expelled Congress legislator Atanasio Monserrate for allegedly raping a minor girl in March, which he said was a conspiracy against him. The 16-year-old Nepalese girl has told the police that she was sold to the lawmaker by her step mother and another woman she referred to as "aunty" for50 lakh. “A case of rape has been registered against Monserratte. Further investigations are going on,” said Karthik Kashyap, Superintendent of Police (crime branch). However, he refused to divulge more details, saying investigations are still going on. “The incident happened in March and after that the girl went missing. She was found by police recently and lodged in protective home where she disclosed about the incident,” a senior police officer said on the condition of anonymity. The FIR was lodged by the girl in Panaji police station. Goa Police on Thursday recorded the statement of the minor girl, who was allegedly raped by expelled Congress legislator Atanasio Monserratte in March. “A team of officials from Women’s police station visited the state-run protective home where the girl is currently lodged and recorded her statement,” a senior official said on condition of anonymity. The victim had recorded her statement before Child Welfare Committee wherein she had alleged that Monserratte has raped her several times in the past. She alleged that Monserrate spiked her drink and then raped her at his bungalow. “The next morning I woke up without my clothes, covered in blood, he was sitting without his clothes on,” the teen has told the committee. The details of the statement were, however, not revealed by the police. An FIR was registered by Panaji police yesterday in this connection but it was handed over to Women police station last night. Superintendent of Police (Women police station) Karthik Kashyap told PTI that Monserratte has been booked under section 3,4 of POSCO Act, and relevant sections of the IPC and Goa Children’s Act. Monserratte, who represents St Cruz constituency, was out of town when the case was booked against him yesterday. He had claimed that the case against him was “politically motivated”. “The girl was working in my showroom and I had dismissed her for misappropriation of funds. This is a conspiracy against me,” he had said. Monserratte’s family members maintained that he is innocent and is being “framed”. “He will depose before the Investigating Agency once he is back in Goa. He does not want to run away from the law. He is innocent and is framed,” a family member said.