Pair Questioned Over Scarlett Murder

Police are continuing to question two men in connection with the alleged drugging, rape and murder of British teenager Scarlett Keeling in Goa.

Samson D'Souza, 28, has been charged with raping the 15-year-old, while Placido Carvalho, believed to be aged between 30 and 35 has not yet been charged with an offence, but appeared in court on Thursday on suspicion of drugging the teenager.

Both have been remanded in custody for 14 days and are being questioned by police.

Scarlett, from Bideford in Devon, was found dead on Anjuna Beach in Goa on February 18. Local police had originally said that the teenager had accidentally drowned. However, a murder investigation was launched following a second post-mortem, which showed that Scarlett had been attacked.

Her mother, Fiona MacKeown, had left Scarlett in the care of a 25-year-old local tour guide. Mrs MacKeown was on a six-month holiday to India with her children and had travelled to another part of the country with her other children when Scarlett was killed.

Mrs MacKeown could face an investigation over possible negligence in the case. However, she has accused the police in Goa of instigating a cover-up in the case. She wrote a letter to Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, saying: "I have no faith in the leadership of the Goa Police.

"The administration tried its best to hush up the death as a simple case of drowning."

Kishan Kumar, Inspector General of Police in Goa, has confirmed that one police officer has been suspended from the investigation and an inquiry has been launched into his actions.

Mr Kumar has also said that police have not ruled out making further arrests in the case.

(KMcA)