Third person held over Scarlett murder
- 00:01:23
- ITN
Third person held over Scarlett murder
A third person has been arrested by police in India over the rape and murder of a 15-year-old British girl in Goa.The news comes after police arrested Placido Carvalho on Wednesday night in connection with the death of Scarlett Keeling, from Bideford, Devon.Vikram Varma, acting for Scarlett's mother, Fiona MacKeown, said Mr Carvalho will be in court this morning, and a third person, a boy, has also been held.Bosco Jorge, a senior Goan police officer, said of Mr Carvalho: "He was one of the accomplices in the rape and murder and we are investigating his role."On Monday, Samson D'Souza, 28, appeared in court in Mapusa and was remanded in custody for two weeks over Scarlett's murder. Police also want to interview a Briton called Michael Mannion who may have witnessed the attack.Ms MacKeown, who claims there has been a cover-up over her daughter's murder, said: "There is a clear nexus between criminals and officers of the Goa police."She has appealed to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for help saying she has "no faith" in the police and claimed that along with drug dealers and politicians, authorities had collaborated to disguise the killing of her daughter.Scarlett had been staying with her boyfriend, a 25-year-old Goan tour guide called Julio Lobo, in Anjuna, when she was reportedly last seen at a bar in the resort in the company of three men on February 19.Police initially said Scarlett, whose semi-naked body was found on a beach, had drowned after taking drugs but a second post-mortem examination revealed 50 marks on her body and not enough saltwater in her lungs to indicate drowning.Goan tourism minister Francisco Pacheco has also accused the police of conspiracy in the case.Ms MacKeown herself could still face an investigation for leaving her daughter at the resort while the rest of the family, including her partner and six other children, were travelling elsewhere.Police inspector Kishan Kumar said once the police investigation had come to a conclusion about the rape and murder of Scarlett "we will look into other aspects".He said that could include the possible neglect of the teenager, adding: "All aspects having a bearing on this case will be looked at. There are a lot of things I cannot reveal at this time."Scarlett's case is the latest to highlight the safety of tourists in India. Tourism officials met this year to discuss attacks on tourists after at least seven foreign women and girls said they had been raped or molested.© Independent Television News Limited 2008. All rights reserved.
ITN | March 13, 2008
