Lawyer Urges Madras High Court To Urgently Hear Plea Seeking CBI Probe In POCSO Case Involving Granite Baron R Veeramani
Upasana Sajeev
25 Sept 2026 12:03 PM IST
The Madras High Court, on Friday (September 25), said that it will hear the plea seeking a CBI probe into the POCSO case involving industrialist R Veeramani, widely known as Gem Granites Veeramani.
The bench of Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan made the statement on an urgent mention made by Senior Advocate NL Rajag, seeking a CBI probe into the case.
The senior counsel had requested the court to hear the case urgently, considering the sensitivity of the case, and submitted that objectionable videos in connection with the case were being broadcast by media outlets, in violation of the POCSO Act.
The bench asked the counsel to file the petition first and then mention for listing the case next week.
Veeramani and his two aides were arrested by the Anti-Vice Squad on August 28, over alleged rape of minor girls. The police had stated that the case was registered upon receiving a USB drive by the Intelligence and Technology Police Unit (ITPU) containing video clips which allegedly showed Veeramani sexually assaulting juvenile girls. The police also stated that the investigation revealed that Veeramani had rented a house in Chennai's Teynampet where he lured the victims and sexually assaulted them. The two caretakers of the house, Mahendra Simhan and his wife Shanti, were also arrested along with Veeramani, and the three were lodged in Puzhal prison.
The case was registered for offences under Sections 7,8,15(1), and 21(1) of the POCSO Act, Sections 354(A), 354(C), 201, and 120(B) of IPC and Sections 66(E), and 67(B) of the IT Act.
On Friday, the TN informed that it has set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case. The SIT will comprise Additional Commissioner of Police, Central Crime Branch PC Thenmozhi IPS, Joint Commissioner of Police, L&O Disha Mittal IPS, Superintendent of Police/Media Relations Officer in the office of DGP J Mutharasi IPS, and Deputy Commissioner of Police, Crime Against Women and Children VV Geethanjali IPS. Tamil Nadu Law Minister CTR Nirmal Kumar informed that the SIT would work under the supervision of the Commissioner of Police, Greater Chennai Police, and has directed the Commissioner to provide the requisite manpower and logistics.
On Thursday, the Special POCSO Court had granted three-day custody of Mahendra Simhan and Shanthi to the CCB for further investigation. The court permitted the parties to meet their lawyers once a day and directed them to be produced again on Sunday evening.
