Homicide whiff in first autopsy: Doc

Homicide whiff in first autopsy: Doc
Says Cops Ignored Murder Possibility; Scarlette’s Mother Writes Letter To PM
Preetu Nair | TNN

Panaji: A senior doctor who conducted the first autopsy on Scarlette Keeling has been caught on a hidden TV camera saying the cops ignored his observation that the death could have been a case of homicide. The revelations could spell fresh trouble for the Goa police, who are already in the eye of the storm over an alleged hush-up in the Briton’s death probe.
The face-saver that the Goa police have is that the doctor gave a verbal opinion and not a written one, which is against medical rules. The cops had declared Scarlette’s death a murder only after the second autopsy forced by her mother, Fiona MacKeown.
Fiona has also written to the PM, requesting him to take steps to identify and prosecute the drug mafia in the state. In the letter, she accused
the authorities of colluding with criminals to cover up her daughter’s murder. “I have no faith in the police,” she said. She added that she was worried over the possibility of the police charging her with neglect for leaving her daughter alone. “The police are deflecting the real issue and taking the focus away by saying that I neglected my daughter.”
A lot in the probe now depends upon if the police are able to track down key witness Michael Manyon aka ‘Masala’ Mike. Sources said they believe that Masala had disappeared because the main accused, Samson D’Souza, threatened him. Samson was arrested after another witness, Placido Carvalho alias Shanu Boy, informed cops that he had seen a half-naked Samson on top of the girl behind Lui’s Cafe at 4.45 am on February 18. IGP Kishan Kumar said the police were in touch with the British high commission in New Delhi and they had informed him that Masala was very much in the country.
According to the police affidavit, owner of Lui Cafe, Lui, saw Scarlette talking to Samson and Masala near the bar around 4.15 am. It is also learnt that Samson, on learning that Scarlette was dead, panicked, and there was an argument between him and Masala, during which Masala accused Samson of having harmed her. Lui has also told cops that he had heard Samson telling his wife on the phone to pack Masala’s bags. It was then they realised that Masala was staying with Samson, suggesting that Samson had threatened Masala.
Shanu Boy arrested on rape charge
In a latenight development, Placido Carvalho alias Shanu Boy was arrested from his lawyer’s office in Mapusa for allegedly raping Scarlette and taken to Anjuna police station. “Yes, Placido has been arrested...for charges of rape and for supplying intoxicating drugs to the girl. We will apply for anticipatory bail,” his counsel Jos Peter D’Souza said.
Lookout notice for ‘Masala’ Mike
The Goa police have issued a lookout notice for Michael Manyon aka ‘Masala’ Mike, a key witness in the Scarlette case. They are also on the lookout for Murali, an affluent Mumbaikar, who had apparently left Lui’s Cafe with Scarlette while Samson and Masala Mike were still there, Shanu Boy stated in his anticipatory bail plea. TNN
Times View
The manner in which the Goa authorities are dealing with the Scarlette Keeling murder case is shameful. Instead of accepting the state’s failure to follow up the rape and murder of a minor girl, the CM and senior cops seem keen to paint the victim and her family as wayward, and hence somehow inviting the heinous crime upon the girl. In short, the attempt is to depict the victim/s as villains. The CM has said Scarlette’s mother Fiona should have taken care of her child, while the police are even suggesting they could throw the law book at Fiona for leaving her daughter alone in Goa. These tactics shouldn’t be allowed to cloud the main issue—a girl was raped and murdered and precious little has been done to bring the culprit to book. In fact, the initial effort was to cover up and pass off the murder as a case of drowning. This kind of dodginess is not expected from a government. It should get on with the job of catching the murderer. GOASPEAK
Dr Oscar Rebello, convener, Goa Bachao Abhiyan
I don’t think this incident will affect Goa’s tourism image although the fact that the state is becoming an easy destination for drugs and sex trafficking is something to worry about
‘Edwin Baretto, sarpanch and shack owner, Cavelossim I agree with the chief minister that a 15-year-old girl should have been looked after by her guardians. The impact of this incident on tourism may be shortlived, but will hurt Goa’s image in the long run
‘Ralph de Souza, president, Travel and Tourism Association of Goa
We used to take pride in marketing Goa as a safe destination. In that sense, yes, this has affected us. But we are not worried about tourism. All we want is a proper probe. Even the mother should be punished for neglecting her ward

2008 Mar 13 Times of India Mumbai