Scarlette's mother alleges police-politician nexus

Continuing her attack on the Goa police and politicians, Fiona Mackeown, mother of slain British girl Scarlette Eden Keeling, on Saturday accused home minister Ravi Naik and state Director General of Police of being in nexus with the drug mafia.

"I had been informed that there is a strong nexus between drug mafia, Ravi Naik and Director General of Goa Police B S Brar," Fiona said before she went to the juvenile police station to record her statement in connection with the death of her daughter.

Fiona's eldest daughter, 15-year-old Scarlette, was raped and murdered on Goa's popular Anjuna beach on February 18. The police investigations had zeroed in on two accused Samson D'Souza, a barman, and Placido Carvalho, a drug trader, who have confessed to the crime.

While Samson is charged for drugging, raping and killing the girl, Placido has been accused of drugging and conspiring with Samson in the murder.

Fiona, who appeared in the police station accompanied by her lawyer Vikram Varma, said the home minister and DGP have full knowledge of crime-related activities and have done their best to protect criminals.

"That has been the case with my daughter also," she added.

Fiona circulated the copy of statement issued by tourism minister Fransisco Pacheco, which expressed concern about increasing drug trade along the coastal belt.

"The world is witness to their attempts to cover up Scarlette's murder," she said.

Demanding a probe by central agencies in the entire matter, Fiona said any inquiry by these two people, would be watered down to levels useless for a crime-free society.

"Goa is a beautiful place and I love Goans. These two persons have brought shame to not only Goa, but the entire country," she said adding, "To my mind, good people don't deserve an environment controlled by a drug mafia under protection of few corrupt police officers and politicians".

Fiona said this case is not just about the murder of her daughter, but also about the many such unfortunate victims whose identities would be revealed after proper investigation.