Sexual assault case: Court remands Telugu film choreographer Jani to judicial custody

A city court on Friday (September 20) remanded leading Telugu film choreographer Jani Master to 14-day judicial custody.

Jani, who was absconding after a sexual assault case was filed against him, was arrested by the Cyberabad police from Goa yesterday. He was charged with  sexual assault by a woman who worked with him.

Jani Master, whose real name is Shaik Jani Basha, was apprehended in Goa by the Cyberabad police on Thursday and he was produced before a local court in Goa and a transit warrant was obtained.

Jani, who worked in big-ticket films like 'Baahubali' and 'Pushpa: The Rise', has been the choreographer for Vijay starrers 'Beast' and 'Varisu' and Rajnikanth's 'Jailer'. 

He was brought here on Friday and produced before a city court, which remanded him to 14-day judicial custody, a senior police official told PTI adding he was lodged in the Chanchalguda central prison.

The complaint

The woman choreographer, in a complaint with the police, had alleged that Jani Master had sexually assaulted her in 2020 during a work trip to Mumbai and continued sexual harassment and also threatened her not to disclose it to anyone.

On September 15, the Narsingi Police had registered a case under sections 376(2)(n), 506, 323 of IPC.

On recording her statement, it was disclosed that she was a minor at the time of the alleged offence. Therefore, a relevant section of the POCSO Act, 2012 was added, police said. 

(With inputs from agencies)