Thaindian News

Panaji, Feb 3 (IANS) Fiona Mackeown, mother of slain British teenager Scarlett Keeling, will come to Goa in the second week of February to give her statement in response to allegations of “criminal neglect” against her, but only if the Indian authorities grant her a visa, her lawyer said Monday evening.Advocate Vikram Varma told reporters that Fiona would visit the Anjuna police station in the second week of February only if the Indian authorities granted her a visa. “Fiona has applied for her visa, but it has not been granted as yet,” he said.

He also said the allegations of neglect levelled against Fiona by advocate Aires Rodrigues were false and lacked substance. “How can any individual who is not connected to the case conclude that there has been negligence,” Varma asked.

“The matter was thoroughly investigated by a team of Goa police under the direct supervision of the Superintendent of Police North as well as the Inspector General of Police. The chief minister himself monitored the investigations on a day-to-day basis. With all these excellent minds monitoring the investigations, there was no finding of negligence recorded in the charge sheet filed by the Goa Police,” he said.

Aires Rodrigues had alleged that it was Fiona’s neglect of her 15-year-old daughter Scarlett, which led to the latter’s gory death in February last year. The complaint was filed under relevant sections of the Goa Children’s Act, which makes neglect of minors, a criminal offence.

Scarlett Keeling’s body was found in a half naked state at Anjuna beach in February last year. The police had earlier tried to dismiss the case as a suicide. But Fiona’s subsequent campaign for justice had attracted international spotlight and exposed Goa tourism’s ugly underbelly.