Scarlette case: Forensic expert suspended for autopsy error

Government felt there was a mistake on his (Sapeco) part, state health minister Vishwajeet Rane said on Wednesday morning, refusing to elaborate on the ‘mistake’.

The health minister said state government’s parallel inquiry in Scarlett episode recommended the suspension.

This is the second suspension in Scarlett rape and murder case, which hit the headlines after the teenager’s mother cried foul in her death. Police sub-inspector Nerlon Albuquerque, officer in-charge of Anjuna police station, was the first one to face the axe.

He was suspended for laxity in investigating the case.

Scarlette’s mother, Fiona Mackeown, had alleged that the PSI tried to cover up the case. Scarlette’s bruised corpse was found on Goa’s popular Anjuna beachfront on February 18.

Rane said the state government’s inquiry into the entire episode is still on. “We are examining the entire case from various angles and prima facie there was a mistake on Sapecos part”, the minister said.

Sapeco conducted the first autopsy on Scarletts body but did not express the possibility of homicidal drowning in his findings.