Jani Master alias Shaik Jani Basha has been granted interim bail from October 6 to October 10, with the choreographer having to surrender in court at 10:30 am on October 10. The bail was granted to Jani to attend the 70th National Film Awards ceremony on October 8. He will receive the national award for best choreography for his work in the Tamil film Thiruchitrabalam. However, this move has been criticised by singer Chinmyai Sripaada, who took to her X handle to express her disappointment.
Taking to her X handle, Chinmayi wrote, “Jani Master confessed to sexually assaulting a minor. He gets bail to receive a National Award. India.” Later, the singer shared a screenshot of an article to prove her claims of the choreographer confessing to his crime, after several users online questioned its authenticity, calling her a “half knowledge feminisit”.
JaniMaster confessed to sexually assaulting a minor.
He gets bail to receive a National Award.
India. https://t.co/bu3lXSyOrI
— Chinmayi Sripaada (@Chinmayi) October 4, 2024
Jani Master was arrested by Narsingi police following a complaint filed by a woman from Madhya Pradesh, alleging sexual assault while working as his assistant choreographer. According to the 21-year-old woman, she met the choreographer at an event in 2017. Two years later, he offered her a job as an assistant choreographer, which she accepted. The alleged sexual assault took place at a hotel where she, Jani Master, and the other dancers stayed during a Mumbai show.
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According to NDTV, police stated Jani Master has confessed to the crime of sexually assaulting a female ex-employee. On September 19, Jani Master was taken into custody in Bengaluru and was shifted to Hyderabad.
The woman also accused Jani master of threatening her with physical violence if she filed a complaint and he mentally harassed her during photoshoots and rehearsals. According to the complaint, he even forced her to convert to his religion and marry him. The police in the remand report said the victim, 16 then, was sexually abused multiple times for four years.
Jani Master has worked on films like Baahubali and Pushpa: The Rise. He is also a member of actor-politician Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena. On October 8, he will share the National Award with Satish Krishnan master.