The POCSO case against Gem Granites founder R Veeramani has now turned into a political row in Tamil Nadu, with the ruling Tamil Nadu Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) levelling allegations against the DMK, AIADMK and BJP over their alleged attempts to protect the businessman accused of crimes against children.
Veermani, 84, was arrested in August over allegations of sexually abusing minor girls. According to reports, police have received numerous complaints against the industrialist following his arrest.
Recently, the mother of a girl who died by suicide in 2016 filed a fresh complaint against Veeramani, accusing him of sexually assaulting her 16-year-old daughter after offering financial aid to support her education. She claimed that her daughter, who was a Class 12 student, ended her life after being unable to tolerate the trauma of the alleged sexual assault.
The Tamil Nadu government has formed an all-women Special Investigation Team (SIT) while expanding the probe against the industrialist. Amid the state government's investigation, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) also registered a suo motu case against Veeramani, who is currently in judicial custody.
Rangaswami Veeramani, a native of Tiruchengode, is known as one of the senior-most granite exporters in India. He practised as a lawyer in the Madras High Court for 11 years. Quoting a speech he delivered in 2021, NewsLaundry reported that Veeramani was an advocate of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), which is currently the main opposition party in Tamil Nadu.
According to reports, Veeramani emerged as an industrialist after moving to Chennai following his sister's marriage to a DMK MP.
His rise from a lawyer to an influential businessman is a remarkable story. Trying his luck in the marketing and export of red granite, he founded Gem Granites in 1972. As a pioneer in granite mining, he operated mines in several states, including Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. He also expanded his business into other sectors, including hospitality, by establishing a network of Holiday Inn properties.
Through his political links and influence in the industry, he was appointed to head multiple business chambers and industry bodies, including the Indo-Russian Chamber of Commerce & Industries and the Chemical and Allied Export Promotion Council (CAPEXCIL).
The paedophilia scandal came to light in 2025 after a pen drive containing a video allegedly showing Veeramani sexually assaulting a minor girl was handed over to the police. An NGO volunteer filed a complaint with the police over the video.
A team of the Central Crime Branch launched a probe and confirmed Veeramani's identity in the video, as well as the scene of the crime as the residence of his associate, Shanthi.
On August 29, 2026, police arrested Veeramani and his 2 alleged accomplices, Shanthi and Mahendra Simhan, under the provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The probe team recorded statements from identified survivors after more girls came forward accusing Veeramani of sexually abusing them.
Amid the probe, police arrested another man, Ganesh, who had worked at Veeramani's firm for 23 years. He is accused of withholding the incriminating video without informing the police.
Veeramani is currently lodged at Puzhal Central Prison.
On September 24, the Tamil Nadu government formed a Special Investigation Team to probe the case, with all 4 members of the team being women police officers.
The SIT comprises P C Thenmozhi, Additional Commissioner of Police, CCB Chennai; Disha Mittal, Joint Commissioner of Police, L&O, West; J Mutharasi, Superintendent of Police; and V V Geethanjali, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Crime Against Women and Children.
The newly constituted SIT will work under the direct supervision of Chennai Police Commissioner A Amalraj.
As more survivors came forward with allegations against Veeramani, the Chennai Police, in a press release, appealed to people to share information, documents or evidence, or lodge complaints, and provide them to the investigators at 9345319676, either through phone calls or WhatsApp.
The police said the identities and details of informants would be kept strictly confidential and that immediate legal action would be initiated following verification.
While Veeramani, 84, faces the case, the DMK has come under fire over alleged attempts to protect the industrialist. It has been alleged that complaints against the granite businessman were covered up in 2024 during the DMK regime.
Tamil Nadu Law Minister R Nirmal Kumar alleged that police officials neglected complaints against Veeramani and tried to settle the matter involving large sums of money. He claimed that an initial complaint filed in 2024 was buried by the DMK government and that a closure report was filed citing “insufficient evidence”.
Meanwhile, the mother of a girl who died by suicide in 2016 alleged that police ignored her complaint seeking a probe into her daughter's death. She claimed that her 16-year-old daughter died by suicide after Veeramani sexually abused her.
Amid allegations that complaints against Veeramani were covered up in November 2024, the government eased two IPS officers, A Arun and Kannan, out of their posts and placed them on compulsory wait.
When the probe is underway, DMK approached the Madras High Court seeking Rs 1.01 crore as damages from TVK ministers Aadhav Arjuna and C T R Nirmal Kumar, alleging that they had been spreading false allegations against the party in connection with Veeramani case.
Now, all eyes are on the SIT’s findings as the DMK struggles to establish that it had no involvement in the alleged cover-up of the crimes, while the TVK sees the case as a major political weapon against the opposition.
(This copy is compiled by Ranju Raj)