Frenchman held on child abuse charge in Puducherry

According to sources, it was a French volunteer at the NGO who had complained to Child Welfare Committee, after she returned to her native. Soon, the complaint reached the attention of Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi, and the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) chairperson Vidyaa Ramkumar. 

When Vidyaa led a team from CWC to the home on Wednesday morning, the girl maintained that Gagner was her adopted father and denied that she was sexually abused by the sexagenarian. She admitted that the man used to kiss her on the cheeks and her private parts but defended it saying there was nothing amiss about it in the French culture. However, after consistent probing, the girl revealed that the man had exposed himself before and after shower. 

Though Gagner said he had adopted the child, the girl’s mother, believed to be from Odisha, told the officials that her daughter was not given on adoption as the French man claimed. He had made her put her thumb impression on a paper after convincing her that it was for a medical treatment, said the mother. She suspected that the man was sexually abusing the child, she told the CWC team.

After ascertaining that the complaint was prima facie true, the Child Welfare Committee alerted local police, who arrested Gagner, CWC chairperson Vidyaa told DT Next.

The child was taken under the custody of CWC, and was sent for medical examination to find out if there was any penetrative assault, which would attract more sections under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012. If it is proven that Gagner had not received the consent from the family for adopting the child, a cheating case, too, could be charged against him. 

Vidyaa said the girl is believed to be 12, and has been with Gagner for the past five years. Her mother, and three younger siblings were also staying in the same house.

The committee officials also suspect that he was preparing to leave the country after they found his bags packed.