Azerbaijani woman received Rs20m to clear rape suspect: Sources

In a fresh twist to the alleged rape of an Azerbaijani woman, sources in Lahore police on Saturday alleged that the woman, Diana, who had accused three men of rape, received Rs20 million in exchange for a video statement declaring the accused innocent.

However, the lawyer for one of the suspects has denied that the woman was bribed.

According to the sources, Ahmed Tanveer, one of the suspects, belongs to a wealthy and influential family, and his father is a major contractor.

The sources alleged that Tanveer’s relatives and a lawyer contacted Diana by phone and persuaded her to issue the video statement.

They also claimed that Tanveer’s father travelled from London to Azerbaijan after she agreed to make the statement.

The sources said that Diana was now in Dubai after allegedly receiving the money.

Diana had previously named three men, including Tanveer, in her statement recorded under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

She later retracted her allegations in a video statement, saying her earlier account had been made under pressure.

Meanwhile, Tanveer’s lawyer, Safdar Shaheen, denied travelling to Azerbaijan or speaking to Diana by phone, and rejected claims that the woman had been bribed.