Tamil Nadu Granite Baron Veeramani Arrested In Fresh Sex Assault Case After Survivor's Complaint

The sexual abuse of minor girls case involving granite baron and Gem Granites proprietor R Veeramani, has moved beyond Chennai, with the Madurai Police registering a fresh POCSO case based on a complaint by an alleged survivor. Veeramani has been arrested in connection with the new case.

Veeramani was brought before a Special Court today amid tight security. He was seen walking into the court holding a walking stick, escorted by armed policemen.

The court ordered that Veeramani be remanded in judicial custody for 14 days in connection with the fresh case.

The police have now registered four fresh POCSO cases against Veeramani. The latest development follows a complaint by an alleged survivor in Madurai, prompting the Madurai Police to arrest him and produce him before the POCSO court.

Veeramani was already in judicial custody in the original case. His custody had been extended until October 9 when he was produced through video conference on health and security grounds. 
He was physically brought to court on Wednesday.

Veeramani, along with Shanti and her husband Mahendra Simhan, was arrested on August 28 in the original investigation into allegations of sexual abuse of minor girls. 

Shanti and Mahendra have been accused of facilitating the alleged abuse at a house rented by Veeramani.

A POCSO Special Court in Chennai recently rejected the bail petitions of Shanti and Mahendra, with police opposing their release citing the ongoing investigation, pending forensic examination of electronic devices and concerns over witnesses and alleged survivors being influenced.

Four others - Veeramani's aide Ganeshan and three former drivers, Lazar, Parthiban and Babu - have also been arrested in the wider investigation, taking the number of people arrested so far to seven.
The case originated with an FIR registered by Chennai police on October 7, 2025, after a purported video involving a minor girl came to the police's attention. A subsequent police closure report was rejected by the Special POCSO Court, which ordered further investigation.

The case has triggered a political blame game. The ruling TVK, which arrested Veeramani in August, has blamed the previous DMK government for failing to arrest him despite the First Information Report lodged in 2025. 

The DMK has denied protecting Veeramani. The DMK and AIADMK, in turn, have alleged that the TVK government too had sought to close the case, and argued that the special court's rejection of the closure report and order for further investigation allowed the case to progress to its present stage.

Congress functionary Ranjan Kumar has claimed that he had handed over a video to the police in which Veeramani was clearly identifiable, but that no FIR was registered at the time. 

An FIR was eventually filed only after activist Hariharan submitted a second video clip in 2025, in which the alleged perpetrator was not clearly visible. 

The contrasting claims have raised questions over whether the police failed to act on what was allegedly stronger evidence and instead proceeded on the basis of the later clip, amid allegations of large money transactions to suppress or cover up the case. These claims are part of the ongoing investigation.

The developments are now being examined by an all-women Special Investigation Team constituted by the government. 

The earlier handling of the case has also come under scrutiny, with the Chennai Police Commissioner Arun and IPS officer Dr Kannan placed under compulsory wait.