The Special Court for Offences against Children on Monday refused to discharge Pascal Mazurier, an employee of French Foreign Ministry’s diplomatic service, from the charge of raping his three-and-a-half-year-old daughter.
Mazurier had filed an application seeking an order from the court to discharge him from the case while claiming that there is “no need for a trial since the investigation so far did not prove his involvement in the offence”.
However, special public prosecutor B.T. Venkatesh argued that “there are sufficient grounds to prove his involvement”, which could be proved in the course of the trial. While Mazurier’s counsel argued that the crucial DNA test came out negative, which indicates that “he is innocent”, the SPP contended that the “result of the DNA test itself is under question”.
The court has posted the matter to January 24 to frame charges against Mazurier.
