Bengaluru: Incarcerated and jailed in an alien country for allegedly raping his minor daughter, former French Consulate officer Pascal Mazurier charged his wife Suja Jones for denying him the chance to see his children and using them as"ammunition" against him.
On Friday Mazurier, who is on bail, appealed to the Family Court in the city for granting him visitation rights to meet his children, whom he had last seen in June, 2012. The matter has been posted for further hearing on January 28. 
“I have been wrongfully framed and my children are being held hostage by my wife, who is using them as ammunition against me in the court. I have been requesting her through the police and the court to allow me to meet my children in official presence. But she refuses to do so because she knows that they will tell me how much they are suffering when they meet me. There’s no law in the world, which stops an accused from meeting his children in custodial presence. I love my children and every night when I go to bed I can hear them silently reaching out to me. They are human beings and not wood. I am sure they miss me too”, said an emotional Mazurier.
His mother — Jackie Maille, who has come from Bordeaux to be with her son and give Christmas gifts to her grandchildren, in an interview with Deccan Chronicle, said that she had faith in the Indian judiciary and hoped that she would get to meet her grandchildren soon, while saying that the last seven months have been a nightmare, which they hoped would end soon. The complainant Suja Jones could not be reached for comment.
Excerpts:
Rape is a heinous crime in India and you have been charged with raping your minor daughter. How have you been coping with the allegation?
It’s been a nightmare. But unlike a bad dream, this one seems to continue. It felt like being hit by Mike Tyson in the boxing ring. I went to jail even though there’s no evidence against me for the horrible crime. The DNA tests have not indicted me, but she (the petitioner Suja) wants to drag the case.
This was her only weapon to disqualify me as father and call me a rapist to avoid accompanying me to my next posting in South Africa. She was looking for an opportunity and took advantage of being in India.
How was your family life?
My parents divorced when I was a year old, but I spent a lot of time with my dad. I have very fond memories of my childhood with both my parents. Coming from a broken home, I know what it means to not see your father even for a day. I had decided to have children and I know my responsibilities as a father very well. I used to play, swim and read with them. Ours was a happy, functional family even though I disagreed with Suja on the upbringing of the children. It has all changed for me and my children. I don’t know where and how safe they are. I have sought the help of the French Consulate, police and now the court to meet them, but Suja refuses to grant me access because she is scared that if they meet me they may tell me how much they miss me and how they are suffering. Today, the judge in the family court asked her to bring the children to her chamber where I and my mom could meet them, but she refused saying that bringing children to the grandmother would put them in danger. This is the worst kind of psychological abuse that she is putting the children through.
What is the road ahead for you?
I want justice for myself and my daughter. I am strong, but my children are not. Though I can find out where my wife and children live, I will not go there alone after being accused of the horrible crime. I cannot afford to take any more false accusations if I have to win the case. The children should be put in a neutral place till the trial ends. It is impossible to explain the trauma that I am going through. I live for the day. There’s no room for big dreams. I am not a sperm donor. I can’t be used and forgotten. I love my children.