CBI lawyer quits Scarlett case

Panaji: In a major setback in the British teen Scarlett Keeling rape and murder case the CBI counsel quits leaving the case in mid-air.

Public Prosecutor S R Rivonkar wrote to the CBI expressing his desire to quit from the case, claiming that he would not be able to give enough time for the trial, CBI sources said today.

Rivonkar divulged his unwillingness to continue with the case last month and since then another lawyer has been assigned the case, they said.

Vikram Varma, counsel of Scarlett's mother Fiona Mackeown, said the exit of Rivonkar from the case was unfortunate.

"The credibility of the CBI cannot be maintained without effective prosecutors. But I hope that the CBI replaces him with an equally competent or better prosecutor," he added.

Semi-clad bruised corpse of the 15-year-old Scarlett was found on Anjuna shore on Feb 18, 2008.

Goa police had chargesheeted two local businessmen - Samson D’Souza and Placido Carvalho alias Shana Boy for drugging, raping and leaving the teenager to die on the beach.

The CBI in their supplementary chargesheet mellowed down charges against the pair and booked them for culpable homicide and molestation. Both are facing trial in the juvenile Court.

Goa police had handed over the case to the CBI in June 2008.

Sources said that Rivonkar was disturbed as the trial was dragging for several months even as CBI filed a supplementary chargesheet in the Court in October 2009.

The Court has till date examined only 15 witnesses of total 72 witnesses in the case.