Scarlette case: Cops question forensic report

Goa Police on Sunday questioned the validity of the final forensic report on British teenager Scarlette Eden Keeling's death suggesting that she was murdered and said the doctor who prepared the report spoke as if he was witness to the incident.

"Is it a report of eyewitness or medical report," questioned Inspector General of Police Kishan Kumar reacting to the final opinion report, which has challenged the line of investigation adopted by the police.

The report had cited stark contradiction in what police investigating into the death of 15 year-old British girl have been saying so far.

The forensic experts had mentioned that girl's head was forcibly pushed into water for five to ten minutes covering her mouth and nostrils. It also revealed that the girl had struggled before her death and ethyl alcohol detected in this case was not enough to cause her death or coma.

The police deputy chief, however, rubbished the findings stating that the doctor wrote the report as if he was an eyewitness to the incident, which is bereft of any medical backings.

"There are no contradictions (in police investigations and medical report). He (doctor) is talking as if he is giving an eyewitness account," the IGP said.

Forensic expert Dr Silvano Sapeco, who gave the final report, is also under the cloud as according to police, he should have made these findings during the first autopsy itself. Since the first autopsy ruled out foul play possibility, the second autopsy was ordered which recommended that the death be investigated as a murder.

"I don't want to comment on the remarks made by doctor in the final report. If at all, he wanted to make them, he should have done it during the first autopsy report," Kumar said.

The IGP said the police investigations are right on the track and right from the beginning the case is being investigated as a murder.

"Our officers have done investigation properly and they have come to the conclusion after corroborating the statements recorded of the witnesses," he said.

The forensic report had stirred hornet's nest for the investigating authorities as it was in contradiction to their line of investigation.

Police officers, however, questioned the medical report as the same doctor had conducted the first autopsy on Scarlette's body immediately after her death on February 18 and had not given anything in writing suspecting foul play.

The police also questioned why the first autopsy did not comment on the bruises when they were noticed during the first instance.

Fiona Mackeown, deceased's mother, had raised suspicion about her daughter's death when she noticed the bruises on her body.

The issue was also brought to the notice of Goa Chief Minister Digamber Kamat who ordered the second autopsy, which hinted at the possibility of girl being murdered.

Police investigation, since then, have seen two locals put behind bars while a police sub inspector Nerlon Albuquerque has been suspended for alleged laxity in probing the case.

Meanwhile, Fiona has decided to move the high court seeking investigation into the alleged cover up by the police in the case.

"Since they have exhausted all their executive options and the final opinion is clear that Scarlette was put to death, they have decided to approach the high court," Fiona's lawyer Vikram Varma told PTI.

She is considering the option of going to the high court seeking protection for herself and also intervention in the 'continued cover up' by police in Scarlette's death case," he said.

Varma said that the family may file a petition in the high court on Wednesday or Thursday.