CHENNAI: A case that police tried to close because they could not identify or locate the victim has now taken a dramatic turn, with at least seven more minor girls testifying that granite baron R Veeramani, 84, exploited and sexually abused them over the years.Veeramani, chairperson of Gem Group and head of Gem Granites, is under arrest in a case that surfaced only after a special court refused to let it end.The case was registered in October 2025 after police received a pen drive containing a video that purportedly showed a minor girl being sexually assaulted. Investigators said they identified Veeramani as the man in the footage. But the girl could not be traced, and police sought to close the case.On August 19, the special POCSO court rejected the closure report and ordered further investigation. A special team led by assistant commissioner Rajalakshmi was formed. Police said they identified the survivor and established that she was a minor in 2019, when the alleged offence took place. Her statement was recorded before a magistrate in Egmore on Wednesday.The fresh probe led to the arrests of Veeramani, Shanti, 60, and her husband Mahendra Simhan, 63. Veeramani was arrested on August 29.On Thursday, POCSO special court judge Padma Shanmugasundaram sent him to three-day police custody, and the Central Crime Branch’s Anti-Vice Squad took him for questioning. Citing his age and health, an Egmore magistrate directed police to question him within the court premises.Veeramani had told the magistrate his health had worsened in Puzhal prison, and police took him to a government hospital for a medical assessment first. Investigators prepared a questionnaire of around 100 questions and examined details provided by Shanthi, including the circumstances of the alleged offence and the possible involvement of others. He was allowed to meet his lawyer once a day. The interrogation was completed by Friday evening.The wider picture then emerged. A senior police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said police teams had identified the victims and recorded their statements before the special court trying POCSO cases. Investigators were also examining whether other minor girls had been subjected to similar assault.Meanwhile, Child Welfare Committee (CWC) member Sheela Jayanthi said the committee had yet to receive a report from the city police. “We are closely watching the developments in the case and discussing them with the District Child Protection officers,” she said. Since the primary survivor is now a major, she added, there is no need for CWC intervention.
