Charges of raping daughter filed against French official

A city court today framed charges against a French consular official for allegedly raping his three-and-a-half year old daughter.
Judge of the Special Court for child's rights Shubha Goudar recorded the plea of Pascal Mazurier, Consular Attache to Consulate General of France, seeking discharge from the case and posted the matter to February 15 for fixing the date of trial.
The charge was framed under section 376 of IPC (punishment for rape).
The Court had on January 7 refused to discharge Pascal with the Judge ruling that there was sufficient evidence for him to face trial.
The French official had filed an application seeking discharge from the case contending that there was no necessity of a trial since the investigation so far had not proved his involvement in the offence.

The rape case was registered against Pascal based on a complaint filed by his wife Suja Jones Mazurier, a Keralite, and he was arrested on June 19, 2012.

Special Public Prosecutor B T Venkatesh contended that Pascal's involvement could be proved in the course of the trial.
Venkatesh told reporters that he would also press for charging him under IPC section 377 (unnatural offences) as there was sufficient evidence to show that the child was also sodomised.
Pascal's counsel has claimed his client was "innocent" as the DNA test had shown to be negative but Venkatesh has countered it saying that the result itself was under question.

The Third Additional Principal Family Court had granted visitation right to his mother, Jacqueline Maille, permitting her to meet his three children at Bangalore Mediation Centre on July 24 last year.