Veeramani Pocso case: SIT registers fresh case; Chennai police launch WhatsApp number to lodge complaints, share info

CHENNAI: The special investigation team (SIT) probing the Pocso Act case against granite baron R Veeramani registered a fresh case on Monday (September 28) based on a complaint by a woman who alleged that her daughter was abused by the businessman.

The new case is based on a complaint by a woman who lodged a formal complaint against Veeramani alleging that he sexually abused her teenage daughter.

Another woman had approached the police two days ago claiming that her daughter, too, was sexually abused by Veeramani two decades ago and that the girl died by suicide in 2004, allegedly depressed over the sexual abuse.

The woman allegedly met the granite baron to seek financial help for her daughter's education and he helped the girl enrol in a school. According to the woman's complaint on Sunday, Veeramani sexually abused the girl when she was in class 12.

Distressed over the incident, the girl took her life and the mother filed a complaint at Ice House police station. However, the documents related to the complaint were allegedly damaged in the attack on Ice House police station during the Jallikattu protests in 2017.

The woman came forward to lodge a complaint on Sunday after learning about Veeramani's arrest in another case.

Tamil Nadu police chief Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal DGP has already constituted a four-member special investigation team (SIT) to investigate the Pocso Act case against Veeramani.

The team is headed by PC Thenmozhi, Additional Commissioner, Central Crime Branch, Greater Chennai Police. The other members are Disha Mittal, Joint Commissioner (Law and Order), West, GCP; J Mutharasi, SP/Media Relations Officer in the DGP's office; and V V Geethanjali, Deputy Commissioner, Crime Against Women and Children, GCP.

Apart from Veeramani, three other persons - Mahandra Simhan, his wife Shanti, and Ganesan, a former employee of Veeramani’s Gem group - were arrested by the police. MP Ranjan Kumar, Tamil Nadu Congress functionary who claimed that he approached the city police with a complaint in 2024 itself, was questioned by the SIT recently.

WhatsApp number to lodge complaints, share info

The Greater Chennai Police has set up a number – 9345319676 – on which those who want to lodge complaints, and persons who are aware of any information, facts, documents, or other important details related to the case, may share information directly or via WhatsApp.

The details of the informants will be kept confidential, inquiry will be held, and immediate action will be taken, the city police assured.