Goa murder 'covered up' by police

Witnesses said they saw Samson D'Souza with Scarlett

A government official in Goa has accused Indian police of trying to cover up the murder of a British girl.

Scarlett Keeling, 15, of Bideford, Devon, was found dead on a beach last month. Police initially said she had died after drinking too much.

Local man Samson D'Souza, 29, has been charged with rape but not with murder.

Goa's Tourism Minister Francisco X Pacheco has stated that Indian police deliberately covered up Miss Keeling's murder.

He told the Reuters news agency: "This is a clear case of murder and it has gone out of proportion because police tried to cover it up."

A murder inquiry was eventually started on the recommendation of doctors who examined Miss Keeling's body.

Mr Samson told the court in Mapusa that he was with Miss Keeling the entire night and left her at 0500, but she was still alive when he left her.

I just think they're going to continue to try and cover themselves up and their mistakes Fiona MacKeown Suspect hidden from press

He was detained by police after witnesses said they saw him with Miss Keeling shortly before her body was found at the Anjuna resort on 18 February.

Fiona MacKeown, Scarlett's mother, was on a six-month holiday with her boyfriend and six other children when her daughter died.

The rest of the party were travelling to a neighbouring state while Scarlett stayed with a tour guide in Anjuna.

Mrs MacKeown, who has said from the beginning that her daughter was sexually assaulted and murdered, has criticised the police investigation.

She told BBC News: "I'm not confident that they've got the right person, I think they're just making a public show to be honest.

"We've had many reports that they've done this before with other cases for a start-off and I just think they're going to continue to try and cover themselves up and their mistakes."

She said she thought it possible more than one person was involved in the killing.

A second post-mortem examination discovered there was not enough water in the dead girl's lungs for her to have drowned.

The doctors who carried out the latest examination discovered some 50 bruises and abrasions on Scarlett's body and unanimously recommended police open a murder inquiry into the death.

Mrs MacKeown, who described Scarlett as "a really affectionate, loving girl", is preparing to fly her daughter's body back to the UK before returning to India to help with the investigation.

Mr D'Souza has been remanded in custody.