“Peepli Live” co-director Mahmood Farooqui has been convicted under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code for raping a 35-year-old American research scholar.
The victim had alleged that he forced himself on her at his Sukhdev Vihar residence in South Delhi on March 28, 2015. On August 2, the Delhi district Court will decide on the quantum of sentence after hearing both the sides.
According to reports, the victim was introduced to the convict by a friend while she was working in Eastern Uttar Pradesh. The American scholar said she narrated the incident to her friend on phone. The victim told that she feared a fate like ‘Nirbhaya’ had she resisted.
In a report published in Indian Express, Vrinda Grover, the victim’s advocate said, “She has stated before this court, during the recording of the evidence, that she was reminded of the documentary of the Nirbhaya case, where the rapist had said that if the victim had not struggled, she would have survived. The accused (Farooqui) applied force and pushed her down. She then froze. She knew if she resisted the rape upon her, the consequence would be worse,” argued advocate Vrinda Grover, counsel for the victim.
The victim had filed an FIR on June 19 against Farooqui and the police issued a charge sheet against him on July 29, last year.
