Choreographer Jani Master Sent to Judicial Remand Over Rape Allegations

Hyderabad: Popular choreographer Sheikh Jani Basha, aka Jani Master, was on Friday sent to 14-day judicial remand by the Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Rajendranagar. Subsequently, he was shifted to Chanchalguda jail by the Narsingi police.

Jani Master, who was present in the court, pleaded not guilty and vowed to fight until justice was served.

According to the remand report, the victim saw Jani for the first time at a show in 2019. Sometime later, the victim received a phone call from one Darshini, who introduced herself as a team member and offered the victim a job to work as Jani’s assistant, which she accepted.

On December 15, 2019, she spoke to him for the first time, while they were together for a shoot. On the same day, the victim reportedly received a call from his manager, who asked her to join Jani, and two of his male assistants for a shoot in Mumbai, scheduled for January 10, 2020.

After the victim, Jani and his two assistants — Rahul and Moin — reached the hotel, at around 12 midnight, she got a call from Jani, asking her to come to his room. Once she reached the room, he allegedly pushed her on the bed and reportedly raped her. Later, he warned her against reporting the incident if she wanted to make a career in the industry.

On several other occasions, he would reportedly call her at odd hours and sexually assault her. When she began refusing, he reportedly humiliated her on multiple occasions.

The remand report also claims that the ‘accused’ eventually started brainwashing her into converting her religion and marrying him.

On one specific day, the accused reportedly called up and asked her to show up for work. When she said that she was unwell and at home alone, he came to her house and raped her again. Sometime later, Jani and his wife too reportedly visited the victim’s house and threatened her.