New York ( CNN ) -- The head of the International Monetary Fund is being questioned by police in connection with the alleged sexual assault Saturday of a Times Square hotel housekeeping employee , New York Deputy Police Commissioner Paul Browne told CNN . Port Authority of New York and New Jersey police pulled Dominique Strauss-Kahn off of an Air France flight destined for Paris at John F. Kennedy International Airport after the alleged incident , according to Browne . He was taken into custody and brought to a Manhattan police station for questioning , Browne said . Hours earlier , Browne said , Strauss-Kahn emerged naked when the 32-year-old hotel employee entered his room to clean it around 1 p.m. Saturday at the Hotel Sofitel . Browne said Strauss-Kahn tried to force himself on the woman , but she broke free and ran to the hotel 's front desk . Hotel staff alerted the New York Police Department . By the time officers arrived , Strauss-Kahn had already left , leaving his cell phone behind at the hotel , according to Browne . `` The alleged victim was taken to Roosevelt Hospital ( in Manhattan ) and was treated for minor injuries , '' Browne said . Authorities then learned that the IMF managing director was on an outbound flight at Kennedy airport . New York police asked their counterparts at the Port Authority to hold the plane . Two plain-clothes Port Authority police detectives boarded the aircraft `` just before the door closed '' on the flight , and found Strauss-Kahn , 62 , seated in first class , said a law enforcement official who had been briefed on the investigation . The IMF executive `` offered no resistance '' when he was led off the plane , after which he was turned over to New York police , added the official . Since being detained , Strauss-Kahn has declined to answer questions from New York police investigators nor has he made a statement , Browne said . No charges have been filed yet in the alleged incident . John Sheehan , the hotel 's director of safety and security , said that Sofitel `` is fully cooperating with authorities . '' `` We 're taking this matter extremely serious , as it 's developing , '' Sheehan said . A former French finance minister , national legislator and economics professor in Paris , Strauss-Kahn became the IMF 's 10th-ever managing director in November 2007 . He is also chairman of the IMF 's executive board . While Strauss-Kahn had n't officially entered the race , recent French opinion polls showed him leading prospective Socialist Party presidential candidates . The surveys suggested that he also could pose a formidable challenge to incumbent French President Nicolas Sarkozy in the 2012 election . Since assuming his position at the IMF , Strauss-Kahn -- and the world body -- have been repeatedly thrust into the spotlight to deal with a host of crises tied to the recent recession . In the past several months , for instance , the IMF head has weighed in on recent uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa and a multibillion-dollar bailout for Ireland 's government . That institution , based in Washington , is widely seen as one of the most important in the world when it comes to addressing economic inequalities and crises . Strauss-Kahn became embroiled in controversy soon after joining the IMF , amid reports -- which he later acknowledged -- that he 'd had an improper relationship with a female employee . The physical relationship was consensual , an independent inquiry found . The world body 's executive board concluded in October 2008 that `` there was no harassment , favoritism or any other abuse of authority by the managing director . '' `` Nevertheless , the executive board noted that the incident was regrettable and reflected a serious error of judgment on the part of the managing director , as he has acknowledged and for which he has apologized , '' the IMF said in a statement at the time . Strauss-Kahn also issued a statement following the closing of the investigation , noting that he 'd `` apologized for it to the ( board of directors ) , to the staff of the IMF and to my family , '' as well as `` the staff member . '' `` I agree with the board that the personal behavior of the managing director sets an important tone for the institution and I am committed , going forward , to uphold the high standards that are expected of this position , '' he said in the statement . CNN 's Miguel Susana and Ross Levitt contributed to this report .
NEW : Strauss - Kahn did well in interviews of possible French presidential candidates . No charges have been filed in the alleged incident . Police say Strauss - Kahn was naked when he tried to force himself on a N.Y. hotel employee . The hotel employee escaped , and police took Strauss - Kahn off a Paris - bound flight .