The Paris prosecutor's office has dropped an investigation into a French writer's claim that Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the former head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), tried to rape her for lack of sufficient evidence.

The office said on Thursday that Strauss-Kahn admitted to sexual aggression against Tristane Banon and that evidence existed suggesting that a sexual assault had taken place, but that it was too late to prosecute.

In France, charges of sexual assault carry a shorter statute of limitations than attempted rape.

Banon alleges that Strauss-Kahn tried to rape her in 2003 during an interview for a book. Strauss-Kahn has denied the claim.

Despite the case being dismissed, Al Jazeera's Tim Friend, reporting from Paris, said that court proceedings are likely to continue.

"Tristane Banon has always said that she would peruse private prosecution if the police and the prosecutor’s office didn't take the decisions that she would've liked them to take," he said.

Nafissatou Diallo, a New York City hotel maid who accused Strauss-Kahn of attempted rape earlier this year, is also pursuing civil prosecution against the former IMF chief.

Strauss-Kahn quit his job in May as head of the IMF after Diallo accused him of attempted rape. Prosecutors  dropped that caseafter DNA and medical evidence proved inconclusive and doubts were raised over her credibility.