Azerbaijani woman clears suspect in Lahore gang rape case

An Azerbaijani woman who alleged gang rape in Lahore has issued a video statement declaring suspect Ahmed Tanveer innocent and urging authorities to drop the case.

In the video circulating on social media, Diana said Tanveer had neither sexually assaulted her nor taken her mobile phones. She described her earlier statements about the alleged assault as having been made under pressure and appealed to the relevant authorities to end the proceedings.

At the beginning of the video, Diana referred to October 9, suggesting it may have been recorded several days before it surfaced online.

Reports also said she had declared Tanveer innocent in documents submitted through the Azerbaijani embassy.

Meanwhile, police arrested Tanveer outside a court despite his interim bail being valid until October 27.

Diana came to public attention in the last week of September, when she alleged that she had been gang-raped in Lahore.

According to the first information report (FIR) registered at Lahore’s Defence C police station, Diana accused two women, Muskan and Nimra, and three men, Mohsin, Ahmed Tanveer and Ali Zain, of sexually assaulting her after allegedly drugging her.

She also accused them of stealing her belongings and mobile phones before abandoning her near the airport.

After registering the case, police collected forensic evidence and DNA samples from the alleged crime scene and recovered a vehicle reportedly used in the incident. Several suspects, including Mohsin, were also taken into custody.

During court proceedings, Muskan said she had met Diana at a party, where Diana exchanged phone numbers with her and Nimra and invited them to other parties.

Mohsin said he first met Diana on September 25 at a private housing society.

Another suspect, Ali, claimed that Diana became agitated during a party at a flat in Defence, started a scuffle inside a car when they reached Ghazi Road and then got out of the vehicle by force.

Investigators later found discrepancies in Diana’s travel history and some of her statements.

Reports about her stay in Pakistan, an alleged marriage to a Pakistani man and a video showing her in bridal attire also drew attention during the investigation.

Earlier this month, Diana was sent back to Azerbaijan under Lahore police supervision.