TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: As the sixth anniversary of the death of British teen Scarlett Keeling Eden nears next week, her mother Fiona Mackeown has requested Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to ensure speedy justice to her deceased daughter, who was allegedly left to die on Anjuna shores on February 18, 2008.
In her written communiqué to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, the grieving mother has sought to know whether the trial in the Children’s Court can be
expedited.
“As the leader of the opposition in 2008, you (Parrikar) stood as a beacon of justice, I hope me and my other children will still be able to look up to you with the same respect. Six years is a long time and Scarlett deserves justice which lies in the hands of your administration. Please do let me know if your administration can provide justice to Scarlett and if yes, then what steps will you take to expedite the matter,” the mother’s letter reads, a copy of which is with Herald.
Scarlett was 15 years old when she was allegedly killed in February 2008. Proceedings in the case have been hampered by the absence of a full-time judge at the Children’s Court in Panjim.
North District & Sessions Judge Anuja Prabhduesai currently holds additional charge of Children’s Court.
Two locals, Placido Carvalho alias Shanaboy and barman Samson D’Souza, were arrested in connection with the murder and were charged with drugging, raping and leaving Scarlett to die on the beach. The case was subsequently handed over to the CBI and charges against them were reduced to culpable homicide and molestation under the Goa Children’s Act. The accused are presently out on bail.
Fiona claims that the men who committed this crime were politically connected and were protected by powerful persons in the previous government.
“The previous government of Goa tried its best to hush up the matter but due to a strong intervention by the Indian Media and your then stand as leader of the opposition, the matter was handed over to the CBI, which I was informed is the finest investigation agency of India. I was informed that the Goa Government had put up the case in a fast track court and there was a possibility for me to get some justice within months,” she mentioned.
With the case still on trial, Fiona pleaded with the government to expedite the trial to give justice to her daughter, whose remains have now been buried in Devon, UK.
In her written communiqué to the Chief Minister, Fiona Mackeown has sought to know whether the trial in the Children’s Court can be expedited
