Chennai, Sep 25: The Tamil Nadu government has constituted a four‑member all‑women Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the POCSO case against 84‑year‑old granite businessman R Veeramani, officials said on Friday.
Order from DGP places team under Chennai police commissioner
An order issued by Director General of Police Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal on September 24 directed that the SIT be set up "in order to investigate effectively the case and related matters" involving the founder of Gem Granites. The team will operate under the direct supervision of Chennai Commissioner of Police A Amalraj, the order said.
Veeramani has been in judicial custody since August 29. The Chennai POCSO Special Court on Friday extended his judicial custody till October 9; he was produced via video conference before Special Judge S Padma because of security concerns.
Composition of the all‑women SIT
The four officers named in the DGP's order are senior women police officers from units handling crime against women and children and law-and-order duties in the city.
| Officer | Designation |
|---|---|
| P C Thenmozhi | Additional Commissioner of Police, CCB Chennai |
| Disha Mittal | Joint Commissioner of Police, Law and Order, West |
| J Mutharasi | Superintendent of Police |
| V V Geethanjali | Deputy Commissioner of Police, Crime Against Women and Children |
Case background and procedural developments
The case regained public attention after allegations that accused minors had been sexually abused over a prolonged period. According to earlier reports, an anonymous informant handed over a pen drive to the Anti‑Vice Squad of the Central Crime Branch in October 2025 containing a video allegedly showing an elderly man sexually assaulting a minor at a house linked to Veeramani's associate.
Police subsequently identified the man in the footage as Veeramani and later arrested him along with associates including Shanthi and Mahendra Simhan on August 29. Initially, police filed a closure report in February 2026 stating difficulties in identifying the minor, but the Special POCSO Court rejected that report and ordered further inquiry. Investigators later said multiple survivors were identified and statements recorded before a judicial magistrate.
Allegations of earlier inaction have intensified scrutiny. Tamil Nadu Congress Committee SC Department president M P Ranjan Kumar has said he had approached then additional commissioner N Kannan in November 2024 with a complaint and submitted video evidence in December 2024, but claimed no further action followed.
Administrative fallout
Following the controversy and questions about handling of the matter, the state moved two senior IPS officers out of their posts and placed them on "compulsory wait", including former Chennai police commissioner A Arun, according to reports. The formation of an all‑women SIT appears intended both to strengthen investigative focus and to address public concern over sensitivity in handling offences against children.
What the SIT is expected to do
Officials said the SIT will:
- Re‑examine evidence already collected and record further statements from alleged survivors;
- Trace and verify documentary and digital evidence, including the pen drive cited in earlier reports;
- Coordinate with the Special POCSO Court and child‑welfare agencies to ensure procedures for vulnerable witnesses are followed.
The SIT's actions and time frame were not specified in the DGP order made public on Friday.
Wider reactions and legal process
The case has elicited strong reactions from political parties and civil‑society groups in Tamil Nadu, with calls for stringent action against the accused and for accountability where there may have been lapses. As the investigation proceeds under the SIT and court custody continues, legal counsel and prosecution will prepare for further hearings in the Special POCSO Court.
Investigators have indicated early findings suggest the alleged abuse may have persisted over many years, but the scope and timeline of the probe will depend on evidence the SIT gathers and corroborates in the coming weeks.
Further updates are expected as the SIT commences its work under Chennai Police Commissioner A Amalraj and the Special POCSO Court continues to monitor custody and trial‑related procedures.
