Jani Master Taken into Custody in Goa Over Assault Charges
By Pavethran Batmanathen
Jani Master, a renowned choreographer in the Telugu film industry, was arrested in Goa on September 19th, days after being accused of sexual assault by a junior choreographer. The complainant, who worked with Jani, alleged that he had sexually assaulted her multiple times, including when she was a minor.
An FIR was filed against Jani on September 16th under rape charges at the Narsingi police station in Hyderabad. Subsequently, sections of the POCSO Act were added to the case due to the complainant’s claims of being underage during the initial assault.
After the FIR was lodged, Jani went missing. The police formed four teams to trace his location and eventually discovered that he was in Goa. A team from Cyberabad Police’s special operations unit arrested him in the coastal state. Jani was then produced in a local Goa court and is scheduled to be brought back to Hyderabad.
Following the allegations, the Jana Sena Party, of which Jani is a member, barred him from participating in their activities. Additionally, the Telangana Film Chamber of Commerce suspended him from his position as president of the Telugu Film and TV Dance directors association.
On September 19th, Jani’s wife, Sumalatha, was summoned to the Narsingi police station. However, the police did not disclose the reason for her visit.
The complainant’s initial report was filed on September 11th at the Raidurgam police station, which was later transferred to the Narsingi police station. According to the FIR, the complainant was contacted by Jani’s team after appearing on a TV show and was allegedly pressured to engage in sexual favors in exchange for work opportunities.
The complainant claimed that Jani had first assaulted her in a Mumbai hotel room when she was only 16 years old and had threatened her with career consequences if she reported the incident. She alleged that Jani continued to sexually assault her whenever the opportunity arose.
The complainant stated that after she began avoiding Jani, work offers in the Telugu film industry dwindled. She also received anonymous calls in August, warning her to be cautious.
About Author
