Chennai: A former employee of GEM Granites was arrested on Tuesday in connection with the POCSO case against the company’s 84-year-old chairman, R Veeramani. The granite baron was arrested in August along with two associates after police received a pen drive containing a video purportedly showing the sexual assault of a minor girl.
The former employee, identified as Ganesan, was arrested by the Greater Chennai Police’s Central Crime Branch (CCB) after a video allegedly showing Veeramani engaging in an obscene act with a minor girl was found on his mobile phone. Ganesan, who worked at Veeramani’s firm for 23 years handling the chairman’s finances, was arrested for possessing the video and failing to inform police about it. He was produced before a court, remanded in judicial custody and lodged in Puzhal Central Prison. Ganesan was working with Balaji Global Enterprises before his arrest.
Police are probing how he accessed the footage, who sent it to him and the circumstances in which he received and retained it without reporting it to the authorities. Investigators are questioning people connected with the case and examining digital evidence to establish the source of the video and trace its circulation.
The arrest came a day after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay summoned Greater Chennai Police Commissioner A Amalraj for a briefing on the case and directed him to pursue every lead, establish the full extent of the alleged offences and ensure a thorough investigation. He also directed police to expedite the probe, provide frequent updates, protect the survivors and handle the case sensitively.
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How court’s refusal to close case led to arrests
The case originated in October 2025, when the pen drive containing the video was handed over to the Greater Chennai Police’s Anti-Vice Squad.
Police later identified Veeramani as the man in the footage and alleged that a couple—his associates Shanthi and Mahendra Simhan—managed a rented house in Chennai’s Teynampet where several minor girls were taken. Police initially sought to close the case, citing their inability to identify or locate the girl. However, a special POCSO court rejected the closure report and ordered further investigation, leading to the arrests and the tracing of multiple survivors.
So far, eight survivors have recorded their statements before a magistrate, alleging abuse by Veeramani and his associates. One survivor belongs to a Scheduled Caste community, prompting police to invoke provisions under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Authorities are still investigating the extent of the alleged abuse, including how long it continued and how many people were affected. A 50-year-old woman has also told police that Veeramani made sexual advances towards her when she was 13, in 1989.
Meanwhile, police are reviewing alleged financial transactions linked to attempts to influence the handling of the case, including claims involving around Rs 70-90 crore from property sales. Prakash, who has been associated with Veeramani’s office, has been summoned for questioning. Police said they also plan to question several police officials and media persons, with Additional Commissioner of Police (South) Narenthiran Nayar leading the financial probe.
Commissioner Amalraj has stated that the investigation is being conducted as per legal procedures including the protection of the survivors’ identities, and added that a chargesheet will be filed after thorough inquiry.
The case has triggered political reactions, with ministers criticising the previous DMK government’s handling of the matter and DMK leaders rejecting allegations of a cover-up.
TVK minister CTR Nirmal Kumar described the case as the very worst incident which has taken place in the state capital and said it had been reported during the previous DMK government. “Without then CM Stalin, no one would have been able to take the call to close the case because it involved a very high-level business person, and a very serious matter involving the harassment and rape of multiple children,” he told the media on Monday.
Former DMK minister Ragupathy, however, denied any connection with Veeramani. “Action could not be taken in the Veeramani case earlier as the scenes in the video related to Veeramani are not clear. There is no connection between him and us,” he said.
(Edited by Chingkheinganbi Mayengbam)
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