New Delhi: The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has taken suo motu cognisance of media reports concerning alleged sexual abuse of minor girls by Tamil Nadu industrialist R Veeramani and said it would send a fact-finding team to Chennai.
The development comes as the Tamil Nadu Police investigation into the case widens. On Monday, the Central Crime Branch registered a fresh case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act against Veeramani following a complaint by a woman whose minor daughter was allegedly sexually abused by him, police said. The complaint is being investigated by the Special Investigation Team (SIT).
The NCPCR said on Monday that its fact-finding team would visit Chennai to conduct an on-ground inquiry into media reports concerning the alleged abuse of girls aged 12 to 16.
Veeramani, 84, the founder of Gem Granites, was arrested on August 29 in connection with an earlier POCSO case. He has denied the allegations, according to reports. A Chennai POCSO special court on September 25 extended his judicial custody until October 9.
All-women SIT probing case
The Tamil Nadu government constituted a four-member, all-women SIT on September 24 to investigate the case against Veeramani and related matters.
According to the order issued by Director General of Police Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal, the team is headed by P C Thenmozhi, Additional Commissioner of Police in the Central Crime Branch. Disha Mittal, J Mutharasi and V V Geethanjali are the other members. The SIT functions under the supervision of Chennai Police Commissioner A Amalraj.
The investigation has expanded beyond the original allegations. The New Indian Express reported that the SIT had sought additional deputy superintendent-rank officers to assist its members. Four people had been arrested in connection with the wider investigation as of September 27.
How the case came under scrutiny
The case originated in 2025 after a pen drive containing a video purportedly showing the sexual assault of a minor was handed over to the police.
According to The Indian Express, the Central Crime Branch subsequently sought to close the investigation in February 2026 after investigators said they could not establish the identity of the girl in the video or find sufficient corroborative evidence. The special POCSO court did not accept the police's attempt to close the case and directed that the investigation continue.
The renewed investigation eventually led to the arrest of Veeramani and two associates — Shanthi and Mahendra Simhan — on August 29. Police alleged that the two associates had facilitated the alleged offences at a premises in Teynampet. These remain allegations under investigation.
The police investigation also widened after Ganesan, a former Gem Group employee, was arrested on September 22 in connection with the handling of the video.
The Madras High Court has also intervened in relation to the circulation and publication of material connected with the POCSO case, with the court emphasising the rights and interests of both children and the accused while considering concerns over media coverage.
The NCPCR's proposed fact-finding exercise will now take place alongside the state police's continuing investigation and the proceedings before the special POCSO court.
Fresh complaint against Veeramani
Amid the probe against Veeramani, Chennai Police received a fresh complaint from a woman who alleged that her daughter, who died by suicide in 2016, took the extreme step after being sexually assaulted by the industrialist, reported The News Minute. According to the woman, Veeramani sexually abused her 16-year-old daughter after offering financial help for her education. She approached the Chennai Police Commissioner days after the arrest of Veeramani in the POCSO case. The woman also sought a fresh probe into her daughter's suicide and alleged that police had buried her earlier complaint.
Political row over Veeramani case
Tamil Nadu is witnessing a political row over the case after Chief Minister Joseph Vijay alleged collusion between the DMK, AIADMK and the BJP to cover up the POCSO case. Tamil Nadu Law Minister R Nirmal Kumar argued that the DMK was "overreacting" to the action against Veeramani and alleged that the party was deliberately shielding the granite baron in the case.
He claimed that an initial complaint against the industrialist in 2024 was systematically suppressed by the previous administration and that a closure report was filed citing "insufficient evidence".
He questioned how alleged attempts to settle the case involving large sums of money and allegations of sexual abuse of a minor could have taken place in the capital without the knowledge of the state intelligence machinery.
However, DMK leader S Regupathy rubbished the allegations against his party while defending the Stalin government's actions.
Regupathy told reporters here that police had promptly registered an FIR upon receiving a complaint in October 2025 and maintained that the investigation was held up only to secure robust legal evidence rather than rushing to drop the case.
