Plan to film Scarlett murder case

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A Bollywood director is to make a film based on the death of British teenager Scarlett Keeling, it has emerged.

Scarlett, 15, from north Devon, was raped and murdered in the Indian resort of Goa in February.

It is thought Prabhakar Shukla has already approached actress Katrina Kaif and will start filming in July.

Meanwhile, Scarlett's mother has failed to get the Indian authorities to return some of her daughter's organs, taken after a post-mortem examination.

Drug abuse

Mr Shukla is reported saying he wants to expose the seedier side of Goa using Scarlett's case for the film, "Rave Party".

He told the Times: "The whole film is against drug abuse and the exploitation of tourists.

"Film should be a mirror for society and people should get some inspiration or precaution from it."

Vikram Varma, lawyer for Scarlett's mother, Fiona McKeown, said she would welcome the film if it portrayed the facts correctly.

Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif is said to have been approached over the film

He said: "But if there is too much of a deterioration from the facts she will be disturbed by it because the film is what the Indian people will believe."

Meanwhile, Ms McKeown has been told she will have to fly back to the UK without Scarlett's uterus, kidneys and stomach, which had been removed.

She says she did not given permission for that to happen and she wants them returned before Scarlett is buried.

The Indian government told Mrs MacKeown there was no system in place for her request to be carried out.

Mr Varma said his client could formally request the organs were flown back to the UK but if this could not be done she would have to return to Goa.

Cover-up claims

Initially, police said Scarlett had accidentally drowned but, under pressure from Ms MacKeown, they later opened a murder investigation.

She alleged police officials covered up evidence over her daughter's death to protect the tourism trade and drug dealers.

However McKeown has since said the involvement of the Indian Central Bureau of Investigation has given her more confidence.

Two men have been arrested over the death of the 15-year-old, whose body was found on Anjuna beach on 19 February.

Samson D'Souza, 28, has been charged with rape and is in police custody.

Placido Carvalho, who was questioned on suspicion of involvement in Scarlett's rape and murder, was granted bail by a court in Goa on 4 April.