I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has been providing consular assistance to the family through our Embassy in New Delhi, Consulate General in Mumbai and Consular Assistance Unit in Dublin, since first informed of the citizen’s tragic death in India in 2017.
As the Deputy will be aware, a criminal trial is ongoing in Goa in relation to this case. Officials from our Embassy in New Delhi and our Consulate General in Mumbai have visited the court and met with the prosecutor. Officials from our Consulate in Mumbai have also attended trial hearings where possible. As the Deputy will appreciate, it is not possible for our officials to directly intervene in local judicial processes, nor would it be appropriate to comment on the details of a legal process in another jurisdiction.
I appreciate the distress caused to the family by the ongoing delays and the slow rate of progress in this case, and our officials have highlighted this in their engagements. However, the prosecutor has made it clear that, while the Goan authorities are prioritising this case, they are not in a position to treat it differently from other similar cases involving local victims.
We are also advised that the fast track courts (FTC) mechanism, referred to by the Deputy, is intended to provide more resources to special courts which focus on particular categories of crimes, for example those involving children, but not murder cases such as this. As the Deputy will appreciate, the local courts system has also been subject to delays resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions.
We very much appreciate the tragic nature of this case and the ongoing distress for the family. As the Deputy will be aware, on 21 February 2020, the Minister for Justice launched a new Victim’s Charter, which includes an amendment recognising victims of violent crime abroad and their family members in Ireland. The amendment was made in particular memory of this citizen, and sets out the rights and entitlements to the services provided by the relevant State Agencies in Ireland. In line with this Charter, and where appropriate, consular officials in my Department provide families with details of specialist services in Ireland, such as those arranged by Advic and Support after Homicide. These can provide confidential support to people whose lives have been affected by homicide.
Please be assured that we will continue to engage with the authorities in India regarding this case, and to provide all possible consular assistance to the family as appropriate.
