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Mahmoud Farooqui, the co-director of Bollywood film Peepli Live who is facing a trial for the alleged rape of an American woman researcher, forced himself upon the woman, their mutual friend told a court In New Delhi on Tuesday.

Danish Hussain, who introduced the American woman to Farooqui, told Additional Sessions Judge Sanjiv Jain that the woman sent him a text message saying she was sexually assaulted by the filmmaker.

Hussain testified as a prosecution witness in the case.

Recording of statements of prosecution witnesses would continue on Wednesday.

Delhi Police have charged Farooqui for allegedly raping the 35-year-old American national. The woman, pursuing a PhD from Columbia University, was in India for research at the time of the incident.

Farooqui has been in judicial custody since June 20.