Thaindian News

Bangalore, June 19 (IANS) French consulate official Pascal Mazurier was Tuesday arrested on the charge of sexually abusing his minor daughter over the past few weeks, police said. A court sent him to 14 days judicial custody.

“Mazurier has been remanded to 14 days judicial custody for further investigation. He will be lodged in the central jail and the trial will be conducted through video-conferencing for security reasons,” Additional Commissioner of Police T. Sunil Kumar told IANS.

The investigation team produced Mazurier at the residence of the eighth additional chief metropolitan magistrate (ACMM) Nagalinganagoud after his court closed for the day.

“We have not sought police custody of the accused, as our part of investigation has been completed, including his medical examination,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Ravikante Gowda told reporters outside the magistrate’s house.

According to Sunil Kumar, Mazurier was arrested from his house early Tuesday and underwent a medical examination.

Police interrogated Mazurier on the basis of the FIR (first information report) registered against on a written complaint filed by his wife (Suja Jones) June 15 and the investigation was conducted after the medical report on their child was received Monday.

“We have taken Mazurier’s blood samples and conducted a DNA test on him earlier in the day. We are waiting for the report to cross-check with the child’s medical report.

“We have booked the case against Mazurier on the basis of the complaint, our FIR and the child’s medical report. It is for the court to frame the charge against him after the trial,” Gowda said.

Sunil Kumar said they had got clearance from the external affairs ministry and the union home ministry from New Delhi late Monday for arresting Mazurier.

The French embassy in New Delhi clarified to the Indian government Monday that Mazurier did not have a diplomatic passport or immunity from being tried under the Indian laws for any offence or purported crime.

The French consulate here also assured police of cooperation in the case and of assistance to the family of the child.

The rape charge came to light when Jones, who hails from Kerala, approached Enfold India, a NGO-based pro-active health trust in the city, for counselling as she was going through a trauma of being a witness to her husband abusing their child over the weeks.

As part of the investigation, police sent the minor to a state-run hospital for examination and a medical report to substantiate the charge against Mazurier.

The couple got married over a decade ago at Port Saint Marie in France and have three children, including two sons, aged seven and 20 months.

Suja also accused her husband of committing domestic violence against her.