'Peepli Live' co-director Farooqui sentenced to 7 years in prison for rape

Delhi: Popular writer and director Mahmood Farooqui has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment.

A special fast track court did the sentencing on Thursday, to seven years imprisonment, held guilty of raping a research scholar from the United States in Delhi last year. Additional Sessions Judge Sanjiv Jain who had had found Farooqui guilty under section 376 (punishment for rape) of the IPC, passed the sentence.

Mahmood had been arrested by Delhi Police the Delhi Police following an FIR registered by the 35-year-old American national victim. The incident which took place on March 28, 2005 and a report in this connection was registered with the New Friends Colony police on June 19, 2015. The victim is pursuing Ph.D. from Columbia University and was in India for some research work.

Mahmood had been arrested and was presented before Saket court. The court had sent him into judicial custody till July 6.

During the trial, the woman alleged that after raping her, Farooqui had apologised via multiple emails. The email exchanges and call detail records were key pieces of corroborative evidence presented by the prosecution during the trial, besides the testimony of the complainant.

Mahmood is married to director and screenwriter Anusha Rizvi, who directed the 2010 satirical comedy film 'Peepli Live'.