Daijiworld Media Network - Goa
Panaji, May 9: Fiona Mackeown, mother of british teenager Scarlett Eden Keeling, was issued summons to depose before the investigating agencies by Goa police late last evening.
The summons stems from Fiona's media statement claiming that she knows Scarlett's killers and the accused has high level contacts in the state.
"If she is in the knowledge of something she should come down and depose. We have issued summons to her under section 39 and 160 of CrPC wherein it is a statutory duty of every person to provide evidence to the police, if they are in knowledge of it," superintendent of police (north) Bosco George told reporters here.
Fiona, who left to UK, last sunday, in an interview had claimed that she knew the identity of a suspected killer in her daughter's case who is a "powerful person" with money.
Scarlett's bruised corpse was found on goa's popular Anjuna beach on February 18.
"I was approached by many people who told me this man's name. It is common knowledge out there it seems. He is a powerful person with money. It would explain a lot - why police have tried to cover it up," she was quoted as saying by UK media.
Goa police last evening issued summons to Fiona on her lawyer Vikram Varma's address. "The advocate refused to accept the summons stating that Fiona has already left for UK," George said.
The police have today moved to the home department to serve the summons at Fiona's address in Davon UK.
George said that since the notification giving consent to hand over case to CBI is already out, Fiona can depose before the central agency.
Fiona's lawyer, Vikram Varma, on the other hand, refused that he has received any such summons. "How can I react to anything before reading the summons," he questioned.
Varma said "Fiona did said that she knows that somebody being involved in the crime and she wants to give the information to the CBI."
"Her information is based on the inputs which she got locally after she deposed before the state police during the investigation of the case. She has lost faith in local police and wants to depose before CBI," the lawyer said.
He said that if Fiona gets visa she would be visiting country sometimes next month to follow up the case.