Farooqui was helping the student in her research on Hindi.
By Dileep Thekkethil
BENGALURU: Police have arrested acclaimed director, of Peepli Live fame, Mahmood Farooqui, after a woman Ph.D. scholar from Columbia University in New York alleged that he raped her in his house in Delhi on March 28.
Farooqui, who was the co-director of Peepli Live, has been charged with rape under section 376IPC at the New Friends’ Colony police station and was arrested on the basis of an FIR on Saturday night. He is currently under judicial custody for 14 days.
Farooqui, along with his wife Anusha Rizvi, directed Peepli Live, a sarcastic movie about farmer suicides in India, starring theatre artist Omkar Das Manikpuri in the lead role. The movie was scripted by Farooqui himself and produced by actor Aamir Khan.
A police official was quoted as saying by the IANS saying “The accused Mahmood Farooqui has been arrested and was presented before Saket court. The court has sent him into judicial custody till 6 July,”
The woman who has alleged rape is a student of Columbia University and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Hindi studies. She came to India for fieldwork and Farooqui was helping her in her research.
The woman scholar first approached the US embassy, which later informed the Delhi police about the complaint and asked for an immediate inquiry. The victim’s statement was recorded before a court on Friday.
According to the statement, Farooqui called her to his home to attend a wedding. When the scholar reached the house she found him under the influence of alcohol and he was crying.
He asked her to go to his office room and later made advancements and forced himself on her.
Farooqui’s wife Anusha told in a statement that the case is “manipulated, false and belatedâ€
Farooqui is said to have appeared before the investigating officer soon after being informed about the need of his presence. After being shown incriminating e-mails that he had with the victim, Farooqui admitted to his wrongdoing.
In the emails that he sent to the rape victim, he repented to what had happened and said he was intoxicated, said reports.
Farooqui and the victim first met through a common friend and he later helped her to collect relevant materials regarding her research.
The US student was quoted saying, “I called Farooqui and asked for tickets for his dastangoi performance (Dastangoi is a 16th-century Urdu oral storytelling art form) and he asked me to come home. Later he called me again and asked me to join them for a wedding. But when I reached his place, I found him inebriated.”
“…he was crying. When I asked what happened he didn’t say anything. He asked me to go to his room-cum-office. I went to the porch to smoke when Farooqui came. He kissed me. I said this is definitely not what you want. He then asked me to sit on the sofa. He kissed me, pinned me down with his arms and sexually assaulted me,” the complaint stated.
When asked why she didn’t resist the attack the woman said she was afraid of the force he was using.
“The complaint is manipulated, false and belated. We don’t want to make any further comments on the matter because the case is under investigation. We will wait for the court’s decision where the actual truth of the matter will come out,” Rizvi stated.
“We are determined to fight this till the reality is presented before the people. We are very sure of it,” she added.
1 Comment
This poor girl. Americans have to be very careful abroad.