Mon Sep 16 23:31:04 UTC 2024: ## Telugu Choreographer Jani Master Accused of Sexual Assault by Former Assistant

**Hyderabad:** Popular choreographer Shaik Jani Basha, known as Jani Master, has been accused of sexually assaulting a young woman who worked as his assistant choreographer. The woman, now 21, filed a police complaint at the Raidurgam station on September 11th, alleging repeated sexual assaults between 2019 and 2023.

The survivor, a former contestant on the dance reality show ‘Dhee’, joined Jani’s team in 2019. According to her complaint, the assaults began during a shoot in Mumbai and continued throughout her time working with Jani. She alleges that Jani repeatedly threatened her with losing her job if she disclosed the assaults. The complaint also details instances of physical abuse, intimidation, and stalking by Jani. The survivor claims that Jani attempted to force her into marriage after converting her to his religion.

Jani, known for choreographing hit songs like ‘Butta Bomma’ and ‘Arabic Kuthu’, recently won the National Award for Best Choreography for the song ‘Megham Karukatha’. He is also a member of Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena Party.

The police have booked Jani under sections 376 (2), 506, and 323 of the Indian Penal Code. However, they have not yet filed a case under the Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, as the survivor was a minor when the alleged assaults began. The Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) for the Women’s Safety Wing, Shikha Goel, has stated that all relevant sections, including POCSO, will be added after seeking legal opinion.

The survivor’s accusations have brought renewed attention to the issue of workplace safety for women in the Telugu film industry. Calls for the release of a government committee report on working conditions for women in the industry have intensified following this incident.

The case is currently under investigation, and the police are yet to make any arrests.

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