‘Peepli Live’ director arrested for raping US woman

Posted By: Daliya Ghose On Sunday, 21st June 2015,17:06

‘Peepli Live’ co-director Mahmood Farooqui was arrested for raping a 35-year-old US woman in March this year while she was in Delhi for some research work. The victim was in India related to her Phd work. The incident took place at Farooqui’s resident in south Delhi’s Sukhdev Vihar on March 28. 

According to the victim’s statement, Farooqui was under the influence of alcohol when he raped her after a party.

"An American national woman was raped by the co-director of the film 'Peepli Live'. The incident took place on March 28, 2015, and a report in this connection was registered with the New Friends Colony police on June 19, 2015," a Delhi Police official told IANS.

"The accused Mahmood Farooqui has been arrested and was presented before Saket court. The court has sent him into judicial custody till July 6," added the official.

However, Mahmood Farooqui’s wife Anusha Rizvi, who also co-directed ‘Peepli Live’ with her husband, claimed the allegation “manipulated and false”. 

The victim was introduced to the director by a common friend. She was collecting information about her research theme based on Baba Gorakhnath. Farooqui took advantage of her situation and allegedly raped her.

“The victim left India immediately and dropped Farooqui a mail expressing her anger at the rape. Farooqui apologised to her in a reply mail,” said a source. The apology mail is apparently two pages long.

The woman told the police that she also contacted Rizvi through a mail and she apologised to her for husband’s act and promised her justice. But when no acton was taken for so long, the woman approached the US embassy, which in turn contacted the Delhi Police.

Farooqui was subsequently arrested and sent to judicial custody till July 6.