New York: Former IMF chief Dominique
Strauss-Kahn claimed diplomatic immunity when he was arrested
by the police over the attempted rape of a hotel maid here,
the American media reported.
"I have diplomatic immunity," Strauss-Kahn told the
police when they led him away from his Air France flight at
JFK airport on May 14.
"It's not in this passport, I have a second passport.
Can I speak with someone from the French Consulate?" he told
the police, NBC News reported.
Strauss-Kahn, 62, allegedly forced the maid at the
Sofitel hotel in Manhattan to perform oral sex.
He was taken into custody a few minutes before his Air
France flight departed for Paris, earlier this month.
Strauss-Kahn's statements are contained in a Voluntary
Disclosure Form given by prosecutors to defense lawyers and
filed by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance yesterday.
He also asked for a lawyer, according to the documents, and said that his handcuffs were tight.
"I would like to call my lawyer, Bill Taylor. I need
my cell phone," he told the police.
"My attorney has told me not to talk. I was ready to
talk," he later said.
Strauss-Kahn is presently under house-arrest in a USD
50,000 a month house. He has pleaded not guilty to charges of
sexually assaulting the maid.
"Is that necessary?" he asked a detective, referring
to the handcuff, The Wall Street Journal reported.
"Yes it is”, came the reply.
PTI
First Published: Friday, June 17, 2011, 12:18