Tamil Nadu's central crime branch charges industrialist Veeramani with abetment to suicide in Pocso case

The central crime branch (CCB) of Tamil Nadu police has registered a new case against industrialist R Veeramani under the ‘abetment to suicide’ charge related to the death of a minor in 2004, police said on Wednesday.

The decades-old case against Veeramani (84), the founder of Gem Granites who is in police custody under Pocso, resurfaced after investigators accessed a text message sent by Shanthi, a co-accused, asking him if he remembered his involvement in the victim’s death. The SMS prompted a fresh complaint from the girl’s mother alleging that her daughter died by suicide following sexual abuse by Veeramani, police said.

Veeramani was arrested under the POCSO Act in August and three of his associates — Ganeshan, a former employee, Shanthi, and her husband Mahendra Simhan — who allegedly played key roles in the abuse of minors, have also been arrested. Veeramani, Shanthi and Simhan are currently in police custody until October 8.

Meanwhile, V V Geethanjali, one of the four IPS officers on the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to probe the case, has recused herself from the team, citing personal reasons.

The SIT was formed based on the orders of director general of police (DGP) Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal and is headed by the Greater Chennai Police Commissioner A Amalraj.

Besides Geethanjali, who is the deputy commissioner of police, crime against women and children, PC Thenmozhi, additional commissioner of police, CCB, Chennai, Disha Mittal, joint commissioner of police, law and order (west), and J Mutharasi (superintendent of police) were part of the SIT. Geethanjali has sought the Commissioner’s permission to recuse herself from the team as she was part of an earlier investigation into the Veeramani case under the supervision of the then- Chennai city police commissioner A Arun.

Recently, the Tamil Nadu government transferred Arun from the directorial post in the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption. He is now on ‘compulsory-wait.’

Deputy commissioner of police B Geetha, who is currently serving Kilpauk police, will replace Geethanjali in the SIT, said officers aware of the matter, adding that a formal communication to that effect is expected from the police department soon.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has reiterated its earlier stand that the case should be transferred to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). In a party statement, BJP Tamil Nadu spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy said, “deputy commissioner Geethanjali who was appointed to the SIT handling the sexual assault case involving Veeramani, has announced her decision to recuse herself from the team. She was also part of the investigation in the Veeramani case under the supervision of the then Chennai city police commissioner A Arun”.

“This is precisely what I have been emphasizing from the very beginning. Given the possibility that various high-ranking police officials may have played a role in diluting or prematurely concluding this case, it would be proper and fair for the investigation to be handed over to the CBI,” added Thirupathi. The Tamil Nadu government must immediately request a CBI inquiry into this matter, he urged.

Meanwhile, a special Pocso court in Chennai on Tuesday reserved its orders on the bail petitions of Shanthi and her husband Mahendra Simhan. Police alleged that Veeramani kept minor children at Shanthi’s residence to assault them and that Shanthi attempted to destroy evidence. They highlighted key financial transactions linked to the crime, revealing that ₹24.63 crore was transferred from Veeramani’s account to Shanthi, with ₹2 crore moved to Simhan.