France refuses to interfere in rape case

Jun 18, 2012 |

Bengaluru

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France on Monday refused to interfere in a rape case involving an official of its consulate here, saying Indian law will take its own course as the accused does not enjoy diplomatic immunity.

French government sources said in Delhi that Indian law will take its course as the accused does not hold a diplomatic passport and enjoys no immunity. Police have registered a case of rape against Pascal Mazurier, an official in the French Consulate General here.

"An investigation is under way for which this Consulate General is extending its full cooperation with the police and the authorities in charge in the matter," a statement issued by the Consulate-General of France said.

It said the Consulate-General has been informed about the complaint lodged regarding the rape of a minor girl who is a French national.

"The complaint names the father of the child, who is a consular agent of this Consulate-General," it added.

Meanwhile, a group of social activists held protests outside the French Consulate demanding the arrest of the accused. Police said 30 activists belonging to an NGO, who were staging a protest in front of the Consulate-General of France here demanding arrest of the diplomat, were detained on Monday.

Holding placards and chanting slogans against the police for their 'inaction', the Action Aid Group activists demanded that the diplomat be immediately arrested.

Senior Advocate and Women's Rights activist Pramila Nesargi said Mazurier doesn't have diplomatic immunity and alleged that the police were just delaying the arrest. Police had registered a case of rape against the diplomat under Section 376 of the IPC (punishment for rape).

The child's mother Suja Jones Mazurier, an Indian, reported the case to police with the help of a Bangalore-based NGO after her maid told her that her three-and-a-half-year-old daughter, was alleged sexually abused.

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