The Hindu : Front Page : Scarlette case to be handed over to CBI

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Scarlette case to be handed over to CBI

Special Correspondent

PANAJI: The Goa government has finally decided to hand over the investigations into the death of 15-year-old British girl Scarlette Eden Keeling to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Apart from the sustained allegation from the mother of the victim, Fiona MacKeown, that the police were trying to cover up the case, the government was also forced by the Opposition in the Assembly last week to agree to a CBI probe.

Chief Secretary J. P. Singh told The Hindu on Tuesday that the government would soon write to the Centre to order the CBI to conduct the investigations.

The latest public statements from the representatives of the National Commission for Women (NCW) questioning the probe by police seems to have expedited the decision.

Mr. Singh said, “The reason we have decided to hand over the case to the CBI is to make clear that the government does not want to hide any facts; we are for the truth to come out.”

Inspector-General of Police Kishan Kumar wrote to the Chief Secretary early this week requesting him to hand over the probe to the CBI.

The police came in for harsh criticism from a two-member fact-finding team of the NCW which toured the State. It had come to a preliminary conclusion that the British teenager was raped and murdered by at least four or five persons and that the police had completely mishandled the investigations.

Only this Monday, a top police official associated with the investigations had told The Hindu that despite criticism they were on the right track in investigations.

The charge sheet would be ready in three to four weeks.

The police have arrested two locals, barman Samson D’Souza and drug dealer Placido Carvalho, for allegedly drugging and raping Scarlette, which led to her eventual homicidal death on the Anjuna beach of north Goa.

The body of the minor girl was found in a semi-nude condition on February 18.

NCW welcomes probe

New Delhi Special Correspondent writes:

Welcoming the Goa government’s decision to hand over the case to the CBI, the National Commission for Women on Wednesday hoped that justice would be done to the girl now.

Talking to reporters here, Nirmala Venkatesh, member of the Commission, said the panel would continue to “keep a watch” on the CBI probe since crucial evidence had been destroyed and the accused appeared to have “influenced” the police.

Ms. Venkatesh, who was part of a two-member NCW team that visited Goa after taking suo motu cognisance of the case, observed that the local police tried to “hush up” the case and even destroyed critical evidence.

The team will shortly submit its final recommendations to the Commission.

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