Choreographer Jani Master faces setback as police seek bail cancellation
Hyderabad: Choreographer Shaik Jani Basha, also known as Jani Master, received another shock as the police filed a petition seeking the cancellation of his interim bail at Ranga Reddy district Court. This comes after the National Film Awards committee suspended his award for Best Choreography, which he won for the song “Megham Karukkatha” in the film Thiruchitrambalam (2022).
The National Film Awards Cell announced that, given the “seriousness of the allegations” against Jani Master, they have decided to suspend his award. The committee also revoked an invitation extended to him before the sexual assault allegations, which include charges under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Recently, the Ranga Reddy court granted Jani Master a four-day interim bail to allow him to attend the award ceremony. He was released on bail from October 6 to October 10, following his arrest on September 19 by the Cyberabad Special Operation Team (SOT) in Goa. He has been in judicial custody since September 20.
Jani Master faces multiple allegations of sexual assault dating back to 2019, made by a 21-year-old assistant choreographer. Following her complaint, the Raidurgam police registered a case against him under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 376 (rape), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt).
According to the reports, the victim accused Jani Master of assaulting her on several occasions, both on film sets and at a hotel in Mumbai. She also alleged that his wife pressured her to comply with Jani Master’s demands, resorting to threats and physical abuse when she resisted.
After the complaint was filed, the Narsingi police initiated a manhunt for Jani Master, dispatching multiple teams, including one to North India. He was ultimately located and arrested in Goa before being brought back to Hyderabad and presented in court.
This is not Jani Master’s first legal trouble; he has a prior criminal record, having been sentenced to six months in jail in 2019 for assaulting a woman in 2015.
