National Award winning Choreographer, Jani Master has confessed to sexually assaulting a junior female choreographer. On September 19, the choreographer was arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Cyberabad police in Goa. Following this, Shaik Jani Basha (Jani Master) was presented to the court. Subsequently, on Friday, September 20, he was sent to 14-day judicial custody by the Upparpally court in Hyderabad. Jani was sent to the Chanchalguda Central Jail in Hyderabad.
As per a report by The Hindu, a senior official investigating the case confirmed the arrest and said that the police are going to apply for a custody petition in court soon. The official added that they had to interrogate the accused, given the sensitive nature of the sexual abuse allegations against him. The official was quoted saying, “The case is strong, and chances of bail are very slim. Discussions are underway about applying for his custody in court. Questioning will be done regarding the allegations levelled against him.”
For those unaware, on September 18, the Narsingi police of Cyberabad booked Jani Master for charges under the sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The move came after a complaint filed by a 21-year-old woman accused the choreographer of assaulting her multiple times. In the complaint, the woman who worked as a junior choreographer with Jani stated that he abused her for six years.
Additionally, following the police complaint, the woman wrote to the Telangana State Commission for Women. In a 40-page document submitted by the victim, she mentioned several instances of harassment and assault over the past years. Notably, the victim also submitted evidence against the accused.
The victim claims that she met Jani at an event in 2017. Two years later the choreographer offered her a job as an assistant choreographer. The woman accepted the job offer. The alleged sexual assault took place after that – at a hotel in Mumbai, where both she and Jani, as well as other dancers, were staying. The victim added that while she was usually accompanied by her mother, however, for this time her tickets were not available. Moreover, the woman also accused Jani of threatening her with physical violence if she filed a complaint. She also claimed that he mentally harassed her during photoshoots and rehearsals.
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Following the complaint, Jani Master was booked under several sections. This includes sections- 376 (2) (punishment for sexual assault) and 506 (criminal intimidation). Additionally, Jani faces charges under 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The police also included the POCSO clause after identifying that Jani allegedly started abusing the victim when she was just 16 years old, a minor.
Jani Master recently choreographed the hit song ‘Aayi Nahi’ from ‘Stree 2.’ The Telugu choreographer has notably worked with several stars of Southern cinema, including Ram Charan and Allu Arjun among others. Meanwhile, amid the ongoing case, Jani Master has withdrawn from his projects as of now. Moreover, reportedly, Jani was asked to step aside from his duties as a member of the Jana Sena Party. The party is led by Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and actor Pawan Kalyan.