`Peepli Live` co-director Mahmood Farooqui, accused of raping American scholar, arrested

Famous for traditional story telling Dastangoi and being `Peepli Live` co director Mahmood Farooqi has reportedly been arrested after an FIR was filed against him for molestation.

New Delhi: 'Peepli Live' co-director Mahmood Farooqui has been arrested and sent to jail on charges of raping a US-based Indian origin research scholar here.

The 30-year-old research scholar from Colombia University filed a complaint at the New Defence Colony police station, alleging that Mahmood had raped her in March this year.

"We filed an FIR on the complaint of the victim on June 19 and Mahmood was arrested the next day. The victim's statement was recorded and investigation is on," said a senior police officer.

The accused, who is husband of 'Peepli Live' director Anusha Rizvi, had met the research scholar in Varanasi where she had gone to collect information about her research theme based on Baba Gorakhnath.

Mahmood was produced before a court and has been sent to jail till July 6.

The victim complained that she was raped by Mahmood at a rented accommodation in Sukhdev Vihar where she met him to have his help for her research work, said the officer, adding that the complainant was known to both Mahmood and his wife.