Jani Master's wife Ayesha breaks silence after his arrest in sexual assault case in Goa: 'I will leave him'

On Thursday, Choreographer Jani Master aka Shaik Jani Basha was arrested for sexually assaulting a woman who worked with him, police said. Jani was apprehended in Goa by the Cyberabad police and brought to Hyderabad for questioning. There his wife Ayesha met him, recorded the statement, and then she even interacted with the media about the allegations against her husband. 

What did Ayesha told the media? 

While speaking to TV9 (as reported by Pinkvilla) Ayesha aka Sumalatha claimed that the allegations against Jani Master are untrue. Ayesha further asserted that there was a bigger conspiracy to destroy Jani's career. She added that if the female choreographer showed evidence, she would leave her husband. "The allegation that the woman was harassed when she was 16 is disgusting. There is no truth in it. If the girl can show evidence, I will leave Master," Ayesha said. Jani Master and Sumalatha have been married for 14 years and have no children.

Noted choreographer Jani Master was arrested on Thursday for sexually assaulting a woman who worked with him, police said. Jani Master, whose real name is Shaik Jani Basha, was apprehended in Goa by the Cyberabad police. He has worked in a number of Telugu and Tamil movies.

He was produced before a local court in Goa and a transit warrant was obtained. He was being brought here and will be produced before a regular court, a police release said. It said, based on the woman’s complaint, Zero FIR was registered in Raidurgam Police Station, Cyberabad. A Zero FIR is filed irrespective of the place of offense.

On September 15, the Narsingi Police re-registered a case under sections 376(2)(n), 506, 323 of IPC, the release said. The complainant alleged that Jani Master had sexually assaulted her in 2020 during a work trip to Mumbai and continued sexual harassment and also threatened her not to disclose it to anyone.

On recording her statement, it was disclosed that she was a minor at the time of the alleged offense. Therefore, a relevant section of the POCSO Act, 2012 was added, the release said. Meanwhile, a panel formed by the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce has also launched a probe into allegations of sexual harassment against Jani Master. Tammareddy Bharadwaj, a member of the committee, has said the panel will have to submit a report on the issue within 90 days from the date of receiving the complaint from the victim.

Damodar Prasad, head of the sexual harassment redressal panel constituted by the Film Chamber, said a communication was sent to Telugu Film and TV Dancers and Dance Directors Association not to allow Jani Master to discharge duties as its president until he is cleared of all the charges.

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