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Police seeks life term for Peepli Live co-director

A Delhi court on Tuesday heard final arguments on the quantum of sentence for Peepli Live co-director Mahmood Farooqui, convicted last week for raping a 30-year-old American research scholar.

A Delhi court on Tuesday heard final arguments on the quantum of sentence for Peepli Live co-director Mahmood Farooqui, convicted last week for raping a 30-year-old American research scholar.

The Delhi police sought life imprisonment for Farooqui, stressing that the crime against the foreigner had brought “disrepute” to India.

“The prosecutrix was raped by a friend she trusted. The accused should be awarded maximum punishment,” the prosecution argued. However, Farooqui’s lawyer requested the court to take a lenient view as he had no previous criminal record.

Farooqui’s counsel Nitya Ramakrishnan said her client suffers from bipolar disorder, and had fully cooperated in the case so he should be given a chance to reform.

“My client was not a habitual offender and he did not threaten the woman at any point nor was he brutal or violent with her,” he said.

Vrinda Grover, the complainant’s counsel, said the court must keep in mind there was an additional vulnerability of the woman in a foreign country and “it brings disrepute to our country, besides traumatising the victim.” The court then reserved its order on the quantum of sentence and fixed August 4 for sentencing.

The counsel for Farooqui, who was brought to the court from jail, also countered the complainant’s submission about her additional vulnerability being a foreigner, saying law does not put a foreigner on a pedestal higher than an Indian. “Does the law put any foreigner woman on a pedestal higher than an Indian This fact is irrelevant and makes a mockery of thousands of Indian women who suffer,” Ms Ramakrishnan said. The victim’s counsel, however, stressed on maximum punishment to Farooqui, saying, “He is a prominent figure in cultural world and, therefore there was additional responsibility on him to not conduct himself in such a manner.”

The police also sought appropriate compensation for the victim, contending that Farooqui has economic standing to pay her for disrupting her life and work. “It is a crime which has been held heinous by the apex court and we press for the maximum sentence and fine,” the victim’s counsel said.

The court had on July 30 held Farooqui guilty of raping the American woman last year at his house in a drunken state. Farooqui, who was out on bail, was taken into custody immediately after his conviction. The offence of rape entails a minimum term of seven years and maximum of imprisonment for life.

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