Police question Goa girl's mother

Fiona MacKeown accuses the police of a cover-up

The mother of British teenager Scarlett Keeling, who was murdered in Goa, has been questioned by police after receiving a summons.

Scarlett was drugged, raped and left for dead on a beach in Goa last month.

Fiona MacKeown, 43, from Devon, told the BBC that police had taken her statement as a witness, asking her to repeat all events that had taken place.

Ms MacKeown said she was not being investigated, and no charges had been made against her.

But she added that although the line of questioning wasn't aggressive, she still felt that summoning her to be questioned by the police was intended to intimidate her.

Her lawyer, Vikram Varma, said Ms MacKeown had given the police details of her family and how they came to be in Goa "but they did not question her about negligence".

Mr Varma, said he had heard from the Inspector General of Police, Kishan Kumar, said they had "no intention" of questioning her about negligence. He said she might have another meeting with the police in a day or two.

Harassment claims

The police have strongly denied claims of harassment, saying they simply wanted Ms MacKeown to assist with the investigation.

Scarlett's naked and battered body was found on a beach in Anjuna on 19 February.

Police initially said Miss Keeling had drowned, but Ms MacKeown insisted from the beginning that her daughter was sexually assaulted and murdered.

Two men have been arrested over Scarlett's death

Following the recommendation of doctors who examined Miss Keeling's body, a murder inquiry was launched.

Goa police now believe she was sexually assaulted and left for dead. They have arrested two men, but neither has been charged.

Placido Carvalho was detained on Wednesday after giving himself up voluntarily.

Samson D'Souza, arrested several days earlier, told police he had been with Miss Keeling the night she died, but that she was still alive when he left her.