Granite baron abused 7 more minor girls: Police

CHENNAI: Police probing the alleged sexual abuse of a minor girl by Gem Granites founder R Veeramani, 84, have identified seven more minor girls allegedly abused by the businessman over the years.

Police sources said the statements of the newly identified survivors have been recorded before the Pocso Special Court.

On Wednesday, Pocso Special Court Judge Padma Shanmugasundaram sent Veeramani to three days of police custody.

Considering his age and health condition, the Central Crime Branch’s Anti-Vice Squad interrogated him inside the Puzhal Central Prison campus. The questioning was video-recorded and authorised until September 20.

Veeramani, chairman of the Gem Group, was arrested on August 29 after police received a USB drive containing a video clip purportedly showing a minor girl being sexually assaulted at his guest house in Teynampet.

The Anti-Vice Squad had initially registered the case on October 5, 2025.

After police initially sought to close the case citing difficulties in identifying the victim and suspect, the court rejected the closure report and ordered a fresh probe.

A special team headed by an Assistant Commissioner of Police subsequently identified the survivor, established that she was a minor at the time of the offence in 2019, and recorded her statement.

Veeramani was arrested alongside Shanti, 60, and her husband Mahendra Simhan, 63. Further probe revealed that several other girls had been subjected to sexual abuse over time.

As one of the identified survivors belongs to a Scheduled Caste, provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act have been added to the case.

Meanwhile, CWC sources clarified that while a formal report from the police is awaited, direct intervention by the Child Welfare Committee is not required as the survivor has since attained adulthood.

Under the court order, police interrogated Veeramani between 10 am and 5 pm daily during the custody period under ACP supervision. Further investigation is underway.