Fiona MacKeown made the claim after returning to Britain from India, where she has spent the last nine days. “I was approached by many people who told me this man’s name. It is common knowledge out there it seems.

He is a powerful person with money. It would explain a lot, why the police have tried to cover it up,” she said.

“People are saying that they have had enough of him and his group and they want something done about it. I don’t think he will get away with it once the CBI take over because they don’t take instructions from anyone.

Hopefully we will get to the truth,” she said.

Two men have been arrested in connection with Scarlett’s death. Samson D’Souza was remanded in custody on suspicion of rape and Placido Carvalho has appeared in court on suspicion of drugging Scarlett and assisting in the murder.

MacKeown complained of a cover-up after police initially said the teenager had accidentally drowned when her partially naked body was found on Anjuna beach on February 18. An autopsy revealed Scarlett had been raped and murdered and had consumed drugs on the night she died.

Tactics

MacKeown claims that the investigation into her daughter’s death has been hampered by links between police, politicians and drug dealers. Authorities had used “tactics of intimidation” against her. “They have done everything they can to try to stop it being investigated properly,” she said.