Stories
Granite Baron Veeramani Booked Under POSCO Act in Suicide Case
- •Granite baron R Veeramani has been booked under the POSCO Act and for abetting the suicide of a minor girl in 2004, following fresh allegations of sexually assaulting several minor girls.
- •The decades-old case resurfaced after investigators accessed a text message, prompting a fresh complaint from the victim's mother alleging sexual abuse by Veeramani led to her daughter's suicide.
- •A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed to verify the message's authenticity, leading to the identification of the victim and an official complaint from her mother.
- •Police allege Veeramani used co-accused Shanthi's residence to assault minor children, with significant financial transactions (Rs 24.63 crore) between Veeramani and Shanthi, and Rs 2 crore to her husband Mahendra Simhan.
- •A Special POCSO Act Court in Chennai has reserved orders on the bail petitions of co-accused Shanthi and Mahendra Simhan, while police are investigating further allegations and freezing suspect bank accounts.
Key Questions Answered
A fresh POSCO case was registered against Gem Granites founder R Veeramani after investigators accessed a text message asking if he remembered his involvement in a minor girl's 2004 death, prompting her mother to file an official complaint alleging sexual abuse.
Police revealed that Rs 24.63 crore was transferred from Veeramani's account to Shanthi, with an additional Rs 2 crore moved to her husband Mahendra Simhan. Authorities alleged that Veeramani kept minor children at Shanthi's residence to assault them and that Shanthi attempted to destroy evidence.
The POCSO Special Court reserved its orders on the bail petitions of co-accused Shanthi and Mahendra Simhan after police strongly opposed bail, citing concerns over witness tampering, evidence destruction, and the ongoing examination of seized electronic devices.