CHENNAI: The Madras High Court ruled out the transfer of the POCSO cases against Gem Granites owner R Veeramani to the CBI, saying the Special Investigation Team’s probe was still at an initial stage.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan was hearing a public interest litigation filed by G Devarajan, seeking the transfer of the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Appearing for the police, public prosecutor John Sathyan submitted that seven cases had been registered in connection with the matter, including six cases of sexual assault and one of sexual assault leading to suicide. Five persons had been arrested, he said.

The bench noted that an earlier petition that made the same demand had been dismissed as withdrawn and that a related case was pending before a single judge. Asking whether the petitioner was attempting to stall the SIT investigation, the judges observed that the probe was at an initial stage and there was no valid reason to hand it over to the CBI.

The petitioner's counsel subsequently sought the permission to withdraw the PIL and approach the single judge hearing the related case. The bench permitted the withdrawal and dismissed the petition as withdrawn.