Slain British teenager's mother wants PM's intervention

Fiona Mackeown, mother of slain British teenager Scarlett Keeling, on Thursday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure a fair probe into her daughters death by setting up a SIT.

Her lawyer meanwhile accused the CBI of compromising the probe and letting the drug dealers get away.

"I obviously hope, but I will try not to have any expectation against after the verdict in court. I think I have got more of a chance of getting a fair response from the Prime Minister. We thought he would be the best person to go to rather than local judicial authority," Fiona told a press conference here.

According to the Central Bureau of Investigation probe, Scarlett was allegedly sexually assaulted by beach shack workers Samson D'Souza and Placido Carvalho in February 2008 after plying her with drugs, later leaving her to die at Anjuna beach.

After eight years, since the offence was registered, the Goa Children's Court on Friday had acquitted the two due to lack of evidence.

In her letter, Fiona has requested setting up of a SIT to probe her daughter's death.

"The only person who can possibly intervene in the matter and take it so that the entire complexity of the crime is investigated is the Prime Minister of India, as head of the government and head of the people. So we have written a letter to the Prime Minister and appealed for justice," her counsel Vikram Varma said.

Varma accused the CBI of compromising the probe.

"Keeping in mind the observations of the trial court, we understand this case required not only to be looked at from the perspective of limited evidence available but also to investigate and prosecute those who have destroyed evidence," Varma said.

"People selling cocaine have not been arrested.. . No arrest made against drug mafia or buying and selling cocaine... She (judge) has cast doubts on the integrity of the CBI," he said.

--IANS

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