Peepli Live co-director Mahmood Farooqui
Peepli Live co-director Mahmood Farooqui (extreme right) with Aamir KhanGetty Image

Filmmaker Mahmood Farooqui was acquitted by Delhi High Court in the US researcher rape case on Monday, September 25.

"US researcher rape case: Peepli Live co-director Mahmood Farooqui acquitted by Delhi High court," ANI tweeted. According to DNA, the Delhi HC has given Farooqui the benefit of doubt.

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Back in 2015, Farooqui, the co-director of Bollywood film Peepli Live, was accused of raping a research scholar from Columbia University and was sentenced to seven years in jail. The filmmaker had then challenged his conviction and the sentence given by the trial court.

During the arguments on sentence, Delhi Police had sought life imprisonment for the 44-year-old, citing the crime has brought dishonour to India. Seeking stringent punishment for Farooqui, the complainant's counsel, Vrinda Grover, had said, "The foreigner was here for research work but was raped by a person she knew, who was her friend and whom she had trusted."

Farooqui's counsel Nitya Ramakrishnan had, however, defended him saying that he suffered from bipolar disorder and should be given a chance to reform.

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