Chennai’s Gem Granites Owner Veeramani Arrested in POCSO Case; 7 MORE MINOR GIRLS IDENTIFIED

Gem Granites owner and Gem Group chairman R. Veeramani, 84, has been arrested in connection with a POCSO case involving the alleged sexual abuse of a minor girl, with seven more women now identified as possible survivors in the wider investigation.

Veeramani was arrested on August 29 by the Central Crime Branch’s Anti-Vice Squad along with Shanti, 60, and her husband Mahendra Simhan, 63.

The case came to light after an NGO approached the Anti-Vice Squad with a USB drive containing a video that allegedly showed a minor girl being sexually assaulted at a guest house linked to Veeramani in Teynampet. The case was registered in October 2025.

Investigation Reopened After Court Rejects Closure Report

Investigators initially struggled to identify the girl and the man seen in the video and subsequently sought to close the case.

However, a Special Court dealing with POCSO cases rejected the closure report and directed the police to continue the investigation.

A special team led by Assistant Commissioner of Police Rajalakshmi was subsequently formed. Investigators traced the survivor and established that she was a minor when the alleged incident took place in 2019.

The survivor, who is now 21, later gave a statement before a magistrate as part of the investigation.

The probe subsequently led to the identification of seven additional women who allegedly experienced sexual abuse while they were minors. Their statements have also been recorded before a magistrate.

Woman Says She Was Abused When She Was 13

One of the women who has come forward is now 50 years old. She reportedly told investigators that Veeramani made sexual advances towards her when she was 13.

According to her statement, Veeramani allegedly approached her when she was a minor and offered her gifts and new clothes. She later reportedly introduced other young girls from economically disadvantaged families to him, allegedly believing that he would help them with their education.

Investigators are examining whether these allegations form part of a wider pattern of abuse.

One of the identified survivors is reportedly from a Scheduled Caste community. Following this development, provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act were added to the case.

Veeramani Questioned Inside Puzhal Prison

A Special POCSO Court granted three days of police custody to enable investigators to question Veeramani.

Considering his age and reported health condition, the questioning was conducted inside the Puzhal prison campus rather than at a police facility. The sessions were conducted under the supervision of an Assistant Commissioner of Police and were video-recorded by the Anti-Vice Squad.

The police custody was authorised until September 20.

Veeramani and the two other accused were subsequently remanded in judicial custody.

Child Welfare Committee Yet to Receive Report

Meanwhile, the South Chennai Child Welfare Committee (CWC) has said it is yet to receive an official report from the police regarding the case.

CWC member Sheela Jayanthi said the committee was monitoring developments and discussing the matter with District Child Protection Officers.

She noted that the principal survivor is now an adult, although the alleged abuse took place when she was a minor. The CWC has said it would intervene wherever any survivor requires care and protection.

The investigation is continuing, with investigators examining the statements of the identified survivors and looking into whether other individuals may also have been involved.

The allegations against Veeramani and the other accused have not been judicially established. The investigation and related court proceedings are ongoing.