Team Herald

PANJIM: The mortal remains of British-Irish citizen Danielle McLaughlin were flown to her hometown on Wednesday with diplomats from the British and Irish Embassies completing the formalities earlier. 

“Possession of the body was taken by the officials who will fly it to Mumbai by a domestic flight and then to her native land,” said Deputy Superintendent of Police Sammy Tavares.

The South District administration had issued no objection certificate to the embassies to carry the mortal remains, after which the remaining formalities were carried out at the Canacona police station. 

Sources said that the body, which was preserved in the Goa Medical College morgue, was earlier expected to be handed over to the deceased’s family or embassy officials on Monday, however the embalming took time. 

Interestingly, neither the family nor the murdered victim’s friends were present when the body was being transported from GMC to Dabolim international airport.

While police are confident of filing a chargesheet against Vikat Bhagat before 90 days, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar will call for a report of the investigation. “I will call for a report on the investigation carried out so far to know if it is true that more than one person is involved in the crime. Before the swearing in last week, I had interacted with the DGP (Dr Muktesh Chander). The police have acted without any delay,” the CM said. 

The family’s legal representative in India, Advocate Vikram Varma, said that the preliminary theory of the police is based on the accused’s confession which needs to be substantiated with forensic evidence. “The police should probe the possibility of more than one person’s involvement in the crime. It is unlikely that the entire crime is carried out single handedly. They should not go only by the confession,” Varma had told Herald.