Farooqui questions US-native's version in rape case

Film-maker Mahmood Farooqui, accused of raping a US researcher, today questioned before a Delhi court the woman's version about the incident saying she did not resist the alleged assault and remained in his house for a long time, reflecting her comfort level.
Refuting the woman's claim that she had not resisted Farooqui's act as she feared meeting the same fate as the December 16 gangrape victim, the defence counsel said if she was under such threat, then why did she remain at his house for over 30 minutes even after the alleged incident.
"After the alleged assault, she had booked a cab but cancelled it before her ride was slated to begin. She also waited in the house on being asked by Ashish (Farooqui's friend). Why did she listen to him?

"The fact that she did not leave the house immediately and cancelled the cab booked by her, shows the level of her comfort in the house," advocate Nitya Ramakrishnan, appearing for 'Peepli Live' co-director, told Additional Sessions Judge Sanjiv Jain.
Commencing final arguments, the defence counsel denied the charges levelled against the film-maker and also refuted the sequence of events narrated by the woman before the court.
The arguments of the defence remained inconclusive and would continue tomorrow.

The prosecution had yesterday concluded its arguments in the case, which is being heard on a daily basis, saying all the evidence on record proved that Farooqui had raped the 30-year-old US native.

Farooqui had earlier denied the allegations levelled against him saying he was falsely implicated in the case.
The court had commenced hearing final arguments last week when the police had said the testimony of the alleged victim, who had trusted Farooqui and considered him a friend, showed that she was sexually assaulted.
The trial in the case had commenced on September 9 last year when the woman had recorded her statement.
The American research scholar from Columbia University, during in-camera proceedings, had alleged that Farooqui had raped her at his Sukhdev Vihar residence here on March 28 last year and later apologised to her in several e-mails exchanged between them.

The court had started trial in the case after framing charges of rape under section 376 (rape) of IPC against him.
The police had on June 19 lodged an FIR against Farooqui on the complaint of the woman after which he was arrested. The charge sheet was filed against him on July 29.