Telangana HC grants conditional bail to Tollywood choreographer Jani Master in sexual assault case

Hyderabad: Telangana High Court on Thursday granted conditional bail to Tollywood choreographer Jani Master in an alleged sexual assault case.

In September, a 21-year-old female choreographer accused Jani Master of sexual assault. According to police, the victim alleged that Jani Master sexually assaulted her in 2020 during a work trip to Mumbai. Later he continued to sexually harass her. He also threatened her with dire consequences in case she revealed it to anyone.

Justice Juvvadi Sridevi stipulated certain conditions for his bail. The court said the accused shall be released on bail after furnishing a personal bond for Rs.20,000 with two sureties for the like sum each to the satisfaction of XIII Judicial First Class Magistrate, Ranga Reddy District at Rajendra Nagar.

The court said Jani Master and his family members shall not interfere with the personal life and liberty of the victim and also her profession and the petitioner/accused shall not contact the victim in any manner.

Earlier, Rangareddy District Court had granted 4 days' interim bail on October 3 to Jani Master to enable him to receive the National Film Award at the 70th National Film Award function scheduled to be held in Delhi on October 8. He was granted bail for four days from October 6. Shaik Jani Basha aka Jani Master had to receive the award for choreographing the `Megham Karukkatha’ song in `Thiruchitrambalam’.

However, after the court order, the National Film Awards Cell under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting revoked the award as he was booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act. The invitation extended to the choreographer for the function was also withdrawn.

The complainant told police that she came in contact with the choreographer in 2017 and she became an assistant to him in 2019.

Raidurgam police of Cyberabad on September 15 booked a zero First Information Report (FIR). Subsequently, the case was re-registered at Narsingi Police Station The accused was booked for rape, criminal intimidation, and assault under section 376 (2) (n), 506, and 323 of the Indian Penal Code.

Police said at the time of the offence, the victim was a minor and therefore section 5 (l) r/w 6 of the Pocso Act was added. The victim, now 21, alleged that the choreographer sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions in different cities, including Chennai, Mumbai, and Hyderabad.

Cyberabad police had arrested Jani Master in Goa on September 19. Later a court in Hyderabad sent him to judicial custody. He was also questioned by the police for four days.