Another complaint of sexual harassment against granite baron Veeramani by a minor

A new turn has emerged in the sexual harassment cases involving granite trader R. Veeramani in Chennai. According to a report by Hindustan Times, a minor has filed a new complaint of sexual harassment against Veeramani. This minor was involved as a witness in a previously registered case, based on whose statement the police have now initiated legal proceedings.

The entire matter began in October 2025, when a child rights activist handed over a pen drive to the Anti-Vice Squad. This pen drive contained a video of a minor being sexually assaulted. An accompanying note claimed that the person seen in the video is Veeramani and that the incident took place at the residence of Mahendra Simhan and Shanthi. Initially, the police attempted to close the case citing the inability to identify the victim, but in February 2026, a Special POCSO Court judge rejected this report and ordered further investigation.

Following the court's intervention, the police conducted raids and seized the original video, and in August 2026, Veeramani, Shanthi, and Mahendra Simhan were arrested. A Special Investigation Team was formed to investigate this case. Currently, a total of 8 cases of sexual harassment of minors are registered against Veeramani, and he has been arrested in all of them. Among other accused, Shanthi is in custody in 3 cases, Lazar in 5 cases, Mahendra Simhan and Ganeshan in 2-2 cases, while Srinivasan, Sakthivel, Babu, and Parthiban are under arrest in 1-1 case. All the accused are currently lodged in Chennai's Puzhal Central Jail.

During the investigation, driver Lazar was taken on one-day police remand, based on which the white car used in the crime was identified. Meanwhile, the POCSO Court judge has directed the Tamil Nadu government to pay ₹ 2 lakh as relief assistance to one victim. The police are preparing to file the final report in two of these cases next week.

R. Veeramani, associated with the granite industry, was a well-known industrialist who had been active in the granite business for a long time. Following these serious allegations against him, a series of legal proceedings commenced, which are currently under judicial process through various POCSO cases.