Despite the claims by police that they have “cracked” the Scarlette Keeling murder case, her family remains convinced there is a continuing police cover-up and that crucial questions are unanswered.
Fiona MacKeown, mother of the murdered 15-year-old Briton, has accused local police and a wider nexus of drug dealers and politicians in Goa of covering up the rape and murder.
MacKeown is campaigning in India for a CBI inquiry, and spoke to Women and Child Welfare Minister Renuka Chowdhary on Friday to request intervention from the Centre. Chowdhary is currently examining the case papers. The Prime Minister’s office has also asked the Goa Chief Secretary for a full report.
“The Goa authorities have done absolutely nothing and I am sick to death of their lies and deceit,” she said. “It is clear this version of events they have come out with is a load of rubbish. The police were hiding the murderers from the start and a full investigation needs to go right to the top. A network of policeman, drug dealers and politicians are involved.
“I will stay in Goa until we are sure of getting justice for Scarlette and the only way we will get that is through the CBI.”
Goa police said they are satisfied they have the men who committed the murder.
“Investigations are continuing but we have the men we were looking for and will not be making any more arrests soon,” Kishan Kumar, IG, Goa, told HT. “Everyone else we are talking to are witnesses.”
The police version of events, which they are now sticking to, presents several unanswered questions. Principally, how they can be so certain of a drug overdose when there is no scientific evidence to support this. The viscera samples were only sent to a forensic lab in Mumbai on March 11 for testing. The murder took place on February 18.
Family lawyer, Vikram Varma points out that any evidence of drug use is absorbed after 14 days and so the tests will inevitably come back negative.
Hindustan Times; Barney Henderson, Hindustan Times
Email Author
Panaji, March 15, 2008
About Me
- Kamal Kumar Pandey (Adv. Supreme Court of India)
- Lawyer Practising at Supreme Court of India. Court Experience: Criminal, Civil & PIL (related to Property, Tax, Custom & Duties, MVAC, insurance, I.P.R., Copyrights & Trademarks, Partnerships, Labour Disputes, etc.) Socio-Legal: Child Rights, Mid Day Meal Programme, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan, Women Rights, Against Female Foeticide, P.R.Is, Bonded Labour, Child labour, Child marriage, Domestic violence, Legal Literacy, HIV/AIDS, etc. Worked for Legal Aid/Advise/Awareness/Training/Empowerment/Interventions/Training & Sensitisation.
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