Scarlett Keeling murder

Tuesday, June 03, 2008
2 charged for Scarlett Keeling murder

Panaji: The Goa police today filed a charge sheet against two persons who were arrested for raping and murdering British teenager Scarlett Eden Keeling.

Anjuna police, which are investigating the case, charge sheeted Samson D'Souza and Placido Carvalho before the Goa Children's Court, charging them with murder.

Scarlett's bruised body was found at Anjuna shore on February 18 and police had arrested the two locals after a thorough investigation.

The 287-page charge sheet has testimonies of 87 witnesses including Scarlett's mother Fiona Mackeown, lawyer Vikram Varma, prime British witness Micheal Mannion, dismissed police sub-inspector Nerlon Albuquerque, Goa Medical College and Hospital's Forensic Department experts and others.

Both the accused are charge sheeted under Section 302 (murder) and other relevant sections of Indian Penal Code and Section eight of Goa Children's Act.

The Goa police had come under fire for its initial bungling in its probe into the murder of Scarlet and is now in the process to hand it over to the CBI.

"The CBI may take over the case any time. All the formalities are completed," Goa Chief Secretary J P Singh told PTI.

Samson D'Souza, the main accused in the case, is already in custody for almost three months since his arrest on March 12.

Placido Carvalho was given bail by the court as the evidence against him was inadequate.

The police have stopped investigating the case since the last one and half months after the state government transferred the case to the CBI.

© Copyright 2008 PTI. All rights reserved.