CHENNAI (Agencies): Noted south Indian cinema choreographer Jani Master was arrested on Thursday for sexually assaulting a woman who worked with him, police said, as reported bu the Indian media.
Jani Master, whose real name is Shaik Jani Basha, was apprehended in Goa by the Cyberabad police.
He has worked in a number of top Telugu and Tamil movies. His recent work included the Hindi blockbuster Stree 2’s ‘Aaj ki Raat’, which was among the hottest films in India this year.
Jani is also known for his work in films like international Indian blockbusters Baahubali and Pushpa: The Rise.
He was produced before a local court in Goa and a transit warrant was obtained. He was being brought here and will be produced before a regular court, a police release said.
It said, based on the woman's complaint, Zero FIR was registered in Raidurgam Police Station, Cyberabad. A Zero FIR is filed irrespective of the place of offence.
On September 15, the Narsingi Police re-registered a case under sections 376(2)(n), 506, 323 of IPC, the release said.
The complainant 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 recording her statement, it was disclosed that she was a minor at the time of the alleged offence. Therefore, relevant section of POCSO Act, 2012 was added, the release said.
Meanwhile, a panel formed by the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce has also launched a probe into allegations of sexual harassment against Jani Master.
Tammareddy Bharadwaj, a member of the committee, has said the panel will have to submit a report on the issue within 90 days from the date of receiving the complaint from the victim.
Damodar Prasad, head of the sexual harassment redressal panel constituted by the Film Chamber, said a communication was sent to Telugu Film and TV Dancers and Dance Directors Association not to allow Jani Master to discharge duties as its president until he is cleared of all the charges.
Telangana State Commission for Women chairperson Nerella Sharada had on Wednesday said the complainant in the case approached the Commission. She said orders would be issued to provide police protection to her. The Commission would also extend necessary help, on behalf of the panel, to her, Sharada said.
The issue also assumed political colour with Telangana BJP Mahila Morcha issuing a statement that the party considers it a "Love Jihad" case.
The Jana Sena party led by actor and Andhra Pradesh deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan has asked Jani Master to stay away from its programmes in view of the case registered against him. Jani Master had campaigned for the party in the recently concluded polls.
Nerella Sharada, chairperson of the committee, on Wednesday, told the media that the commission intervened in the matter and issued orders to provide police protection to the complainant.
As per a report published in The Hindu, Sharada said, "The committee has issued orders to provide police protection for the victim and a high-level monitoring committee will also be constituted to investigate such cases in the film industry."
She also talked about the importance of using POCSO in the case and said, "We will take this case very seriously and efforts are made for strict implementation of the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) Act in all workplaces, including the constitution of local and internal committees."
Jani is a renowned choreographer and has worked in both the Hindi and South Indian film industries. His last hit choreographed song was Aayi Nahi from Stree 2, which starred Rajkummar Rao and Shraddha Kapoor.
The accused is also a close aide of actor and Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister, Pawan Kalyan. However, he has now been reportedly asked to step aside from his duties as a member of Kalyan's Jana Sena Party following the allegations.
Jani has worked with biggies like Rajinikanth, Thalapathy Vijay, Vijay Deverakonda, Jr NTR, Allu Arjun, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar, Sara Ali Khan, Prabhudeva, Shahid Kapoor, Ram Charan, Chiranjeevi and Fahadh Faasil, among others. He has not released any statement on the allegations yet. - Agencies
