Veeramani POCSO case: Three arrested for withholding evidence in Chennai probe
Synopsis
Three people — including a former Gem Granites employee found with an objectionable video — have been arrested for allegedly concealing evidence in the R. Veeramani POCSO case, marking the probe's first major expansion beyond the industrialist himself. The arrests have also detonated a political row in Tamil Nadu, with Ministers accusing the previous DMK government of suppressing the complaints.
Key Takeaways
Ganesan , ex-staffer of Gem Granites , arrested after an objectionable video involving R.
Veeramani and a minor was allegedly found on his phone.
Couple Shanthi and Mahendra Simhan , believed to have links with Veeramani, also taken into custody.
All three remanded to judicial custody by a Chennai court on 22 September 2026 .
The POCSO Act makes failure to report a suspected child sexual offence a punishable offence — the basis for the arrests.
State government Ministers have accused the previous DMK administration of suppressing earlier complaints against Veeramani; the CCB has declined to comment on the political row.
Further arrests are possible as investigators examine digital records and question more associates.
The Greater Chennai Police's Central Crime Branch (CCB) on Tuesday, 22 September 2026, expanded its investigation into the POCSO case against granite industrialist R. Veeramani by arresting three individuals — including a former employee of Gem Granites — for allegedly concealing material evidence linked to the sexual abuse of minor girls. The arrests mark a significant widening of the probe beyond Veeramani himself.
The Three Arrests
The first person taken into custody was Ganesan, a former staffer at Gem Granites, after investigators allegedly discovered an objectionable video involving Veeramani and a minor girl on his mobile phone. Authorities are examining how Ganesan obtained the footage and why he had not reported it to police, despite the POCSO Act imposing a statutory obligation on anyone with knowledge of a suspected child sexual offence to disclose it.
A couple identified as Shanthi and Mahendra Simhan, who are believed to have maintained close links with Veeramani, were also arrested. Investigators are probing the extent of their alleged knowledge of the offences and any role they may have played.
All three were produced before a court following preliminary formalities and were subsequently remanded to judicial custody, according to police.
Scope of the Wider Investigation
The latest arrests are part of a broader case in which R. Veeramani — a prominent figure in Tamil Nadu's granite industry — has already been arrested on allegations that he sexually abused several minor girls. The CCB is continuing to examine electronic devices and other materials recovered during the probe to identify possible additional victims and establish whether more individuals enabled or concealed the alleged offences.
Investigators are expected to question further associates of Veeramani and scrutinise digital records. Police indicated that additional arrests could follow if evidence implicates more persons.
Political Firestorm in Tamil Nadu
The case has ignited a sharp political controversy in Tamil Nadu. State government Ministers alleged on Monday that the previous Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) administration had attempted to suppress the complaints against Veeramani and had exerted influence over the police, thereby delaying a prompt and independent investigation.
The Opposition has contested these characterisations, and the two sides have been trading allegations over the handling of earlier complaints against the industrialist. Notably, the CCB has declined to comment on the political charges and stated it is focused solely on the evidence gathered in the case.
Legal Obligation Under POCSO
The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act mandates that anyone who has knowledge of, or reason to believe, that a sexual offence has been committed against a child must report it to the relevant authorities. Failure to do so is itself a punishable offence under the Act — the legal basis on which Ganesan's arrest has reportedly been made. This provision is designed to prevent bystanders and associates from shielding perpetrators, and its invocation in this case signals that investigators believe the cover-up may have extended well beyond the accused himself.
What Comes Next
The CCB is expected to continue widening its digital forensic examination and call in more witnesses in the coming days. The political dimension of the case is likely to intensify as opposition parties demand accountability for the alleged earlier suppression of complaints. With three individuals now remanded and more arrests signalled, the Veeramani POCSO case is set to remain one of the most closely watched criminal investigations in Tamil Nadu this year.
Point of View
One that is rarely invoked this assertively. It signals that the CCB is treating concealment as seriously as the primary offence, which will put pressure on anyone else in Veeramani's circle who held back information. The political noise around alleged DMK interference is a complicating factor: if the charges carry substance, they raise serious accountability questions; if they do not, they risk compromising the credibility of a sensitive child-protection investigation by turning it into an electoral weapon. The CCB's studied silence on politics is the right approach — but the pressure on that firewall will only grow.
NationPress
23 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why were Ganesan, Shanthi and Mahendra Simhan arrested in the Veeramani POCSO case?
All three were arrested for allegedly withholding information linked to the POCSO case against industrialist R. Veeramani. Ganesan, a former Gem Granites employee, was held after an objectionable video involving Veeramani and a minor was allegedly found on his mobile phone; Shanthi and Mahendra Simhan are suspected of having knowledge of the alleged offences through their close links with Veeramani.
What does the POCSO Act say about reporting sexual offences against children?
The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act makes it a statutory and punishable obligation for anyone with knowledge of a suspected sexual offence against a child to report it to the authorities. Failure to do so — as alleged in Ganesan's case — is itself a criminal offence under the Act.
Who is R. Veeramani and what is he accused of?
R. Veeramani is a prominent industrialist in Tamil Nadu's granite sector and the owner of Gem Granites. He has already been arrested on allegations that he sexually abused several minor girls; the CCB's current widened probe is examining the network of associates who may have concealed or facilitated the alleged offences.
What political controversy has the Veeramani POCSO case triggered?
Tamil Nadu's state government Ministers alleged on Monday that the previous DMK administration suppressed complaints against Veeramani and exerted influence over the police, delaying the investigation. The DMK has contested these claims, and both sides have been trading accusations over the case's earlier handling.
What happens next in the Veeramani POCSO investigation?
The CCB is continuing to examine electronic devices and digital records to identify possible additional victims and determine whether more individuals were involved in concealing the alleged offences. Police have indicated that further arrests could follow, and investigators are expected to question more of Veeramani's associates in the coming days.
