$t = 'fred /* bill "jack \" */ \xAB \t john\n" mick */ mary /* /* \u12ef */ jane';;

( $s = $t ) =~ s[(/\*(?:"(?:\\\\|\\[abfnrt]|\\u[0-9a-fA-F]{4}|\\x[0-9a-fA-F]{2,4}|\\"|[^"])+?"|.)*?\*/)][]msg; 

print $s;;
fred  mary  jane