Panaji, Oct 7 (IANS) Samson D’Souza, the main accused in the murder of British national Scarlett Eden Keeling, got a major reprieve as the Central Bureau Of Investigation (CBI) Tuesday unexpectedly withdrew its plea challenging a court decision to grant him bail.The CBI has been entrusted with the task of probing the sensational death of the British teen after the investigations by the Goa police came under a cloud.

The submission for withdrawal of the plea was made by CBI counsel C.A. Ferreira to the Goa Children’s Court.

The Goa police had arrested Samson and another accused Placido Carvalho for allegedly drugging, raping and leaving Scarlett to die on Anjuna beach on Feb 18 this year.

Placido is already on bail, while Samson was released after seven months of his arrest.

The CBI, which took over the probe of this sensational case, had toed the same line as the Goa Police and asserted Samson’s involvement in the crime.

Scarlett’s death investigations got a setback when the Goa Children’s Court in its bail judgement mentioned that there are no sufficient grounds against Samson linking him to the crime.

The CBI had challenged this judgement, contending that on earlier occasions the same court had twice rejected Samson’s bail application stating that there are grounds against him connecting him to the case.

A key witness, British national Michael Mannion, has claimed he had seen Samson lying on Scarlett behind the shack at Anjuna a few hours before her body was found on the sea shore.

Mannion, who has deposed before the CBI, repeated his statement involving Samson and Placido to the case.