Jani Master sent to Chanchalguda for 14-day custody over sexual assault charges
Hyderabad: Tollywood choreographer Shaik Jani Basha, popularly known as Jani Master, has been remanded to 14 days of judicial custody by the Upparapalli Court on September 20, 2024, (Friday) and is currently being held at Chanchalguda Jail over sexual assault charges.
His arrest occurred on September 19, 2024, in Goa, where the Cyberabad Special Operation Team (SOT) apprehended him. Following his arrest, he was brought to Hyderabad on a prisoner’s transit (PT) remand and presented at the Upparapalli Court.
The accusations against Jani Master arise from a complaint filed by a 21-year-old assistant choreographer at the Raidurgam police station. The complaint alleges a series of sexual assaults dating back to 2019. The case has been registered under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 376 (rape), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), as well as relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Fellow dance master, Ramu, visited the Narsingi police station in Ranga Reddy, asserting that Jani Master “didn’t do anything wrong” and suggesting that the allegations were made maliciously.
According to reports, the victim alleged that Jani Master assaulted her multiple times on film sets and at a hotel in Mumbai. She also claimed that his wife pressured her to comply with Jani Master’s demands, threatening and physically abusing her if she resisted.
Following the initial complaint, the Narsingi police launched a manhunt, dispatching four teams, including one to North India, in search of Jani Master. He was ultimately located and arrested in Goa.
This is not Jani Master’s first encounter with the law; he has a previous criminal record, having been sentenced to six months in jail in 2019 for assaulting a woman in 2015.
Born on July 2, 1982, Jani Master is a renowned Indian dance choreographer primarily active in Telugu and Tamil cinema, with credits in Kannada and Hindi films.
He is known for his expertise in both Western and folk dance styles and has received numerous accolades, including a National Film Award, three Filmfare Awards South, and three SIIMA Awards.
Jani Master began his career as a dancer in Telugu films and gained popularity through ETV’s dance reality show “Dhee.”
His choreography includes notable works in films like “Drona” (2009) and “Racha” (2012) and he has worked with prominent actors such as Ram Charan, Pawan Kalyan, Allu Arjun, N. T. Rama Rao Jr., Ram Pothineni, and Ravi Teja.
