Thaindian News

Panaji, Feb 2 (IANS) Fiona Mackeown, mother of slain British teenager Scarlett Keeling, will be reporting to the Anjuna police station in the second week of February, to give her statement in response to allegations of “criminal neglect”, which have been slapped on her by a lawyer.Police sources said that Mackeown’s lawyer Vikram Varma was in touch with the Anjuna police station in-charge and has confirmed the British national’s arrival.

The police, who booked the case several months ago, were spurred into action after lawyer Aires Rodrigues filed a contempt petition against the Anjuna police station in-charge police inspector Ramesh Gaonkar at the Panaji bench of the Bombay High Court. Rodrigues argued that the police have not been investigating the case, contrary to their assurance to the high court.

“I was formally informed by the Anjuna police that they will record Fiona’s statement in the second week of February, where the latter will also be present,” Rodrigues told reporters.

In October last year, the Anjuna police in a written undertaking before the high court’s Panaji bench, stated that they would start investigating Rodrigues’ allegations of criminal neglect filed against Fiona.

Rodrigues alleged that it was Fiona’s neglect of her 15-year-old daughter Scarlett which led to the latter’s gory demise. 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 earlier tried to dismiss the case as a suicide. But Fiona’s subsequent campaign for justice attracted international spotlight and exposed Goa tourism’s ugly underbelly.