French official’s wife to seek DNA test

Jun 18, 2012 |

Hyderabad

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The city police are still acting cautious on “diplomatic immunity” to Pascal Mezurier, a French diplomat accused of sexually assaulting his three-and-a-half-year-old daughter, while his Indian wife and complainant in the case, Suja Jones, is likely to move court on Monday to seek direction to the police to collect his DNA samples.

Ms Pramila Nesargi, a senior advocate and women’s rights activist, said that an application will be filed before the court to collect the DNA samples of Mr Mezurier (39), Deputy Head of Chancery in the Consulate of France in Bengaluru, in the presence of the complainant. Ms Nesargi said that the city police have already taken the magistrate’s permission to collect DNA samples for testing.

“The French national doesn’t have diplomatic immunity and the city police are just delaying the procedure. If there was diplomatic immunity, the city police wouldn’t have taken magistrate’s permission to collect the DNA samples. We are filing an application before the magistrate to direct the police take the oral swab for the DNA test,’’ she said.

Ms Suja Jones (37) has written letters to Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram and External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna requesting them to ensure that her husband faces trial in India.

Ms Nesargi said the police could have taken the medical report from the Baptist Hospital, which proved rape of the child. “Ms Suja Jones has taken shelter at a friend’s house in the city. We have contacted the consulate as she needs financial assistance, and they have sought time till Monday. Ms Neena Nayak, chairperson of the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, visited the complainant and assured her of all help,” she said.

Ms Suja Jones has three children – a seven-year-old son, the victim, and a 20-month-old son, and is pregnant with the fourth child of Mr Mezurier. She filed the complaint with the High Grounds police, who detained Mr Mezurier on Friday and released him on Saturday as they were not sure of his diplomatic immunity.

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