SIT intensifies POCSO questioning of granite baron Veeramani in Chennai prison
Synopsis
An 84-year-old granite industrialist is being questioned inside a Chennai prison by an SIT over POCSO allegations filed by 10 girls — with seven cases registered and a court-approved two-day interrogation window in progress. The procedural shift to prison questioning, owing to his age, underscores the unusual circumstances of a high-profile investigation still far from trial.
Key Takeaways
An SIT is questioning granite businessman R.
Veeramani , 84 , inside prison on court orders in connection with POCSO allegations.
10 girls have filed complaints, leading to the registration of seven cases ; he has been arrested in four of them.
Veeramani has also been detained under the Goondas Act .
The court authorised an additional two days of questioning within prison premises, following an earlier three-day police custody period.
Investigators recorded his statement on Friday, 17 October ; questioning was set to continue on Saturday .
The allegations have not been adjudicated; registration of cases and questioning do not establish guilt.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has stepped up its interrogation of Chennai-based granite industrialist R. Veeramani, 84, who is currently lodged in prison in connection with allegations of sexual abuse of minor girls under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The intensified questioning, carried out inside the prison premises, follows a court order permitting investigators to question him for two additional days.
Court-Approved Prison Questioning
The court permitted the interrogation to take place within the prison facility in view of Veeramani's advanced age of 84. Investigators questioned him from morning until evening on Friday, 17 October 2026, recording his statement in relation to the complaints lodged against him, according to police. A second day of questioning was scheduled to continue on Saturday, completing the court-authorised additional period.
This latest round of interrogation follows an earlier three-day police custody period. Investigators subsequently obtained judicial permission for two more days of questioning, with the venue shifted to the prison under the arrangement sanctioned by the court.
Scale of the Allegations
According to police, 10 girls have lodged complaints against Veeramani, resulting in the registration of seven cases. He has been formally arrested in four of the seven cases. Authorities have also detained him under the Goondas Act, a preventive detention law applicable to habitual offenders and those considered a threat to public order.
While police have confirmed the number of complainants and cases registered, they have not disclosed further details about the statements recorded during Friday's interrogation or Veeramani's responses to the specific allegations.
Ongoing Investigation
The SIT is continuing its examination of all complaints received thus far. The registration of cases and the questioning process form part of the investigative procedure and do not establish guilt; the allegations have yet to be adjudicated before a court of law. Investigators are scrutinising Veeramani's responses against the accounts provided by the complainants.
Notably, the shift of interrogation to the prison premises represents an unusual procedural accommodation — a reflection of how courts balance investigative imperatives with the rights and physical condition of an undertrial individual.
What Comes Next
With the court-sanctioned two-day additional questioning period set to conclude on Saturday, the SIT is expected to compile its findings and determine further steps in the investigation. Any subsequent custodial questioning would require fresh judicial authorisation. The outcome of the investigation will ultimately be placed before a court for adjudication under the POCSO Act.
Point of View
The SIT's task is not just to record statements but to build a corroborated evidentiary chain under POCSO, where conviction rates remain a concern nationally. The Goondas Act detention running parallel to POCSO arrests signals that authorities are treating Veeramani as an ongoing threat, not merely an accused. What is notably absent from the public record so far is any account of how these complainants came forward — and whether there are systemic failures in the networks around such industrialists that enabled alleged abuse to go unreported for so long.
NationPress
17 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is R. Veeramani and why is he being questioned?
R. Veeramani is an 84-year-old Chennai-based granite businessman who is currently in prison facing allegations of sexual abuse of minor girls. An SIT is questioning him under court orders in connection with seven POCSO cases registered on the basis of complaints from 10 girls.
Why is the interrogation being conducted inside the prison?
The court permitted the questioning to take place within the prison premises in view of Veeramani's advanced age of 84. This arrangement was approved after an initial three-day police custody period, with an additional two court-authorised days now being conducted at the prison facility.
How many cases have been registered against Veeramani?
Seven cases have been registered against Veeramani based on complaints filed by 10 girls. He has been formally arrested in four of those seven cases and has also been detained under the Goondas Act.
What is the POCSO Act under which Veeramani is being investigated?
The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act is a central law that provides a comprehensive legal framework to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation. Convictions under the Act can carry sentences ranging from rigorous imprisonment to life imprisonment depending on the nature of the offence.
Does the registration of POCSO cases mean Veeramani has been found guilty?
No. The registration of cases and the ongoing questioning are part of the investigative process and do not establish guilt. The allegations against Veeramani have yet to be adjudicated before a court of law.
