Sexual assault case: I&B ministry suspends choreographer Jani Master’s National Award

NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has suspended the National Film Award for choreographer Jani Master Sexual assault allegations.
The invitation to him for his 70th birthday National Film Awards The October 8 speech in New Delhi was also withdrawn.
Jani Master, real name Shaik Jani Basha, should be honored for his choreography in the song ‘Megham Karukkatha’ from the Tamil film ‘Megham Karukkatha’.Thiruchitrambalam“published in 2022.
A statement from the National Film Awards Cell on October 4 said the invitation was sent before allegations under the POCSO Act came to light.
The note states: “Given the seriousness of the allegation and the facts of the case, the relevant authority has decided to suspend the US National Film Award.” Best choreography for the year 2022 to Shri Shaik Jani Basha for the film Thiruchitrambalam until further orders. Therefore, the invitation extended to Shri Shaik Jani Basha for the 70th National Film Awards Ceremony to be held on 8.10.24 at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi is hereby withdrawn.”
A city court on Thursday granted Jani Master interim bail after he applied for bail to attend the National Film Awards.
Last month, a former assistant of Jani Master filed a complaint of sexual assault during a work trip to Mumbai in 2020. She claimed that harassment and threats not to disclose the incidents continued.
The Narsingi police registered a case against him under various IPC sections for rape, assault and other offenses on September 15.
It later emerged that the assistant was a minor at the time, which led to the addition of a section to the POCSO Act.
On September 19, Cyberabad police arrested Jani Master from Goa and took him to Hyderabad. He was brought before a city court and sentenced to 14 days in custody.