Pascal bail plea reserved

The High Court of Karnataka on Thursday reserved the orders on the bail plea of Pascal Mazurier, the French diplomat arrested on the charge of raping his three-and-a-half-year old daughter. Both the parties have closed their arguments in the case.

Pramila Nesargi, the advocate for Suja, mother of the child, claimed that the actual DNA profile of the child had not been done at all. She submitted that the forensic lab, where the DNA test was conducted, was not in a good shape due to lack of proper equipment and adequate staff to maintain them.

“The lab doesn’t even have a person heading it,” she said. Justice H N Nagamohan Das said he was judging the scientific authenticity of the DNA report at the present stage of the case since the court was hearing the bail plea.

Senior counsel C V Nagesh, representing Pascal, contended that the complainant (Suja Jones) was never present on the scene and the case was totally based on circumstantial evidence. “The DNA report would exonerate my client.

Therefore, there is no question of him tampering with evidence or the witnesses. There is no question of Pascal fleeing the country as his passport has been seized. Pascal is entitled for bail on all grounds,” he argued.