Canacona Police on Friday filed chargesheet at the Canacona JMFC court in the alleged rape and murder of 28-year-old Irish-British national Danielle McLaughlin, nearly 3 months after her body was found in an isolated field at Devabhag-Canacona on March 14.
CANACONA
In the chargesheet, police has named Vikhat Bhagat of Bhagatwada at Char-Rasta as the sole accused in the offence.
“There are 68 witnesses, including the inquiry officer, relied upon by police in its 374-page chargesheet of the accused in connection with the rape and murder of McLaughlin,” DySP Sammy Tavares told The Goan.
Police has also presented 58 different exhibits to support their chargesheet against the accused, which reportedly includes tests and examinations of blood samples, bloodstained clothes of the deceased and accused, broken bottles, a scooter, CCTV footages, etc.
The rape and murder charges against Bhagat have been filed under Sections 302, 376, 394,201 IPC.
The chargesheet states that Bhagat, taking advantage of a friendship with McLaughlin, took her to an open isolated field at Adpe-Devabhagh, committed sexual intercourse/rape and assaulted her with glass bottle on her head and face. The accused then murdered her by compressing her neck and robbed her mobile phone and destroyed the evidence.
Incidentally, the crucial forensic report -- which could determine if one or more accused were involved in the crime -- was not part of the chargesheet filed at the JMFC court.
According to DySP Tavares, the forensic report will be added to the chargesheet, as and when it is received.
“However, the available evidence is crucial enough and more than sufficient in the case to nail the sole culprit, who committed the serious offences of rape and murder of the Irish-British woman.”
Asked if a supplementary chargesheet would be filed once forensic report is received,
DySP Tavares replied: “Whenever it is received, it will be added as an examination report to the court, which will act like additional piece of evidence.”
Stating that the case is watertight, he added that police had not left anything to chance and had thoroughly investigated the case.
On Friday evening, Bhagat was produced before the JMFC judge and was submitted a copy of the chargesheet filed at the court by Canacona police. Since the case pertains to murder and the JMFC does not have the powers to try such cases, the matter is expected to be shifted to the Sessions Court at a later point in time.
It may be recalled that the body of McLaughlin was found lying nude with multiple injuries to the head and face in an open field, a few metres away from the Canacona-Agonda road at Adpe-Devabhaga, which is between the beaches of Palolem and Agonda.
Acting swiftly, police arrested a 23-year-old Bhagat, a history-sheeter in petty crimes and robberies.
The autopsy report revealed the deceased was sexually assaulted and struck on the head with a glass bottle and then strangulated, sparking off outrage in Canacona and abroad.
A number of foreign nationals had marched to the Canacona police station to demand justice to the deceased and later held condolence and prayer meets along with locals near the crime site.
The body was later flown to Ireland, where a second autopsy was conducted and funeral held in McLaughlin’s local church.
There were speculations, both locally and abroad, that a group of persons may have been involved in the crime, but police consistently maintained that only one accused was involved in the gruesome rape and murder case.
