VOL 13 ISSUE 22
ursday, January 23, 2014
Traders protest at Freedom Park demanding increase in daily wage.
Sunita Maheshwari criticises emergency services in the city. PAGE 2
PAGE 3
French rape accused breached bail with Christmas Day visit Anannya Sarkar e French consul employee charged with raping his own daughter attempted to visit her on Christmas Day, in a clear breach of his bail conditions. Accompanied by a group of police officers, Pascal Mazurier, the principal accused in the case, arrived at the home of his estranged wife and asked to meet his children. A police officer from Yelahanka Police Station pleaded with Mazurier’s wife on the diplomat’s behalf, according to estranged wife Suja, citing “humanitarian grounds” as the reason she should allow the children to see their father and grandmother, who was also present. e visit, in clear breach of bail conditions which state that he should not approach any of his children while the case is ongoing, angered estranged wife Suja who has complained to the police commissioner. Sources at the Public Prosecutor’s office confirmed he was forbidden from seeing his children, under the terms of his bail. Mazurier told e Weekly Observer that he had gone to Suja’s home but clarified that he did not negotiate with his wife himself. Speaking about the incident, Mazurier said that he had allowed the officers to act on his
behalf and when the request was refused he le without incident. Mazurier, accused by his wife of raping his three-year-old daughter, was seeking the dismissal of all charges as he had said that there was no evidence to substantiate that he was guilty of the offence. However, a Sessions Court passed an order against him on January 6. e order read: “Accused is not entitled for discharge. ere are sufficient materials to go for trial.” Suja Jones, Mazurier’s wife, speaking exclusively to e Weekly Observer, said that her husband, along with about seven cops from Yelahanka Police Station, arrived at her house on Christmas Day to meet the children. He was also accompanied by his mother. Jones refused to let them meet the children though the cops argued on Mazurier’s behalf saying that she should give consent as it was Christmas. According to the Public Prosecutor’s office, under the bail conditions, Mazurier is not allowed to meet any of the children, as one is the victim and the
other two are witnesses. Also, anybody who wants to meet the children has to get prior permission from the court, which was not sought before Christmas. “I was really angry. I asked them if they realize that he is accused of raping my daughter and you have got him to meet the children. ey kept at it for about 45 minutes and I had to keep explaini n g t o
them that I could not allow this”, said
Jones. “I had to lock my children in the house and asked them not to open the door while I went to the complex gate to talk to these cops. ey kept saying that it was a request as it was Christmas. e children were scared and the neighbors kept asking me about it. e police got the accused right up to my doorstep”, she added. According to Mazurier, there is nothing in the bail order to prevent him from meeting his children. “My wife is in contempt of court. at case is in the High Court right now. I am not breaking the law, Suja is. She is hiding the children from everybody. My parents are allowed to meet all the children. She does not care about what the children want.” She later lodged a com-
plaint with the Commissioner of
Timeline June 19, 2012: Pascal Mazurier arrested October 17, 2012: Granted bail November 2012 : Pascal Mazurier filed a complaint with the police seeking a probe into his daughter’s rape, saying that he wants the actual culprit to be caught. January 6, 2013 : Court affirms that he will be tried January 24 : Charges to be framed against him. Police requesting action against the Yelahanka Police. No action has been taken as of yet.Jones said: “While the cops were at my complex gate, a senior officer from the police station kept calling me to convince me to allow Mazurier and his mother to meet the children and said that it was an informal request.” Jones added that the last time Mazurier’s parents had met the children in February, they had said that the children looked, ‘drugged, over-weight and dirty.’
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“My wife is in contempt of court. at case is in the High Court right now. I am not breaking the law, Suja is. She is hiding the children from everybody. My parents are allowed to meet all the children. She does not care about what the children want.” -Pascal Mazurier contd to page 3