Even as the appeal by French embassy official Pascal Mazurier for visitation rights with regard to his three children, comes up for its final hearing before the Family Court here on Wednesday, the French media is rife with reports of his appeal for the children to be sent back to France.
The French media reported on Monday that lawyers representing Mr. Mazurier (39) appealed to French President Francoise Hollande seeking his intervention in the case. Mr. Mazurier, who enjoys no diplomatic immunity, has, according to an AFP report, sought government intervention in the case and requested to be allowed to meet his children.
He has been denied access to them ever since he faced charges of raping his daughter, now four, last year.
Last week, Mr. Mazurier appealed to the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KCPCR) here to facilitate the handing over of his daughter and two sons to the Republic of France. In documents submitted to authorities, he argued that the DNA report and forensic tests have exonerated him.
However, lawyers representing his wife, Suja Jones (37), point out that he has only been granted conditional bail and contend that there is enough evidence, both circumstantial and in the way of reports from doctors and psychiatrists, to prove the crime.
‘Not exonerated’
Upset by the reportage in the French media that present her husband’s arguments as facts in the case, Ms. Jones said his contentions that he had been exonerated here are simply untrue. “He has been charge sheeted by the State in this matter. The law clearly states that the victim cannot be allowed to meet the perpetrator, so we must respect that.”
On the reportage in the French media about his appeal for political intervention, she said: “I have been informed that the Office of the President gave audience to people representing a person who is charged with rape in our country, that too of his own child. One must remember that the laws in France are much tougher with regards to rape and incest.”
Ms. Jones added that she was confident the truth would come out, and appealed to the French and Indian media to respect the judicial process.
The Family Court has over the past month heard his appeal for visitation rights, and for his parents who are in Bangalore.
The couple’s three children, all French citizens, currently stay with their mother.
