Former French Minister Tron arrested over rape allegations

[News_Editor]

Former French Minister Tron arrested over rape allegations

2011-06-22 03:39:26 GMT+7 (ICT)

PARIS (BNO NEWS) -- French authorities on Tuesday announced that former Minister Georges Tron was arrested on Monday in order to be questioned over rape allegations, Radio France Internationale (RFI) reported.

Tron will remain in custody while investigators question him over the allegations of rape involving two women. Another employee from the Town Hall in Draveil south of Paris was arrested as well.

In late May, Tron resigned from his post as junior civil service minister and vowed to prove his innocence over the sexual assault accusations against him by two women formerly employed by the town council of Draveil, where he is mayor.

The two women told police that Tron sexually assaulted them after the former minister offered to give them foot massages. The Draveil mayor has denied the allegations.

Tron also blamed the far-right Front National (FN) of being behind the rape accusations. The ex-minister is member of President Nicolas Sarkozy's UMP party. The FN has a strong presence in Draveil and has had several conflicts with the mayor.

The case against Tron came shortly after the rape accusation against International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who was arrested on May 14 for allegedly attempting to rape a maid at a New York hotel.

Strauss-Kahn resigned days later after being accused of forcing a 32-year-old hotel maid at the Sofitel New York Hotel to perform oral sex on him twice before engaging in anal sexual conduct with her. He also grabbed the victim's breasts and vaginal area.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-06-22