French consulate worker faces arrest for 'raping' daughter

Pascal Mazurier, the French official in Bengaluru who is accused of raping his three-year-old daughter, faces arrest after the Centre and France on Monday made it clear that he does not enjoy any diplomatic immunity and that police can take action against him.

The police have registered a case of rape against Mazurier, Deputy Head of Chancery in the consulate of France, Bengaluru.

"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.

The French government sources said in Delhi that Indian law will take its course as the accused working in its Bengaluru consulate does not hold a diplomatic passport and enjoys no immunity. The Union home ministry has asked the Karnataka police to approach the French consul General in Bengaluru to get access to Mazurier.

Official sources said Mazurier is now taking shelter at the consulate and has not come out of the complex.

Since the diplomatic mission is a French property, the police so far have not been able to enter it and hence no action has been taken against him. "We have asked the Karnataka police to approach the French consul general to get access to Mazurier," a source said.

Meanwhile, the external affairs ministry sources said Mazurier "holds a service passport and not a diplomatic passport" and does not have diplomatic immunity. He can be tried in India, they said.

Police sources said the charges against him are fit for an arrest.

Mazurier's wife Suja Jones, an Indian citizen, has accused him of raping their daughter and has requested that he be restrained from leaving the country till legal proceedings were completed and that under no circumstance should he be allowed custody of their three children who are French nationals.

"I have been extremely traumatised by the incident and all the procedures that are followed. I am also very upset by the insensitivity of the authorities concerned," Jones said. She appealed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and External Affairs Minister S M Krishna to intervene in the matter.

Meanwhile, a group of social activists held protests outside the French Consulate demanding the arrest of the accused.

The police said 30 activists belonging to an NGO, who were staging a protest in front of the consulate-general of France  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.

The police had registered a case of rape against the diplomat under Section 376 of the IPC (punishment for rape).

Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Jyotiprakash Mirji told PTI that the police was awaiting the communique from the Ministry of Home Affairs asking them to approach the French consulate general to get access to Mazurier.

Asked about arresting Mazurier, Mirji said it would be premature to say anything now, but police would initiate action after going through the directions issued in the MHA communique.