New minor’s complaint adds to eight POCSO cases against granite baron R. Veeramani

Another minor has filed a fresh sexual harassment complaint against granite businessman R. Veeramani, raising the total to eight POCSO cases under investigation. Police acted on the girl’s statement; she had earlier been a witness in a previously registered case. The probe dates back to October 2025 when a child‑rights activist gave a pen drive to the Anti‑Vice Squad that contained a video of a minor being assaulted. A note on the drive identified Veeramani as the man in the footage and said the incident took place at the home of Mahendra Simhan and Ms. Shanthi. Police first sought to close the case in early 2026 but a Special POCSO court judge rejected the closure report in February 2026 and ordered further inquiry. Following the court order, searches recovered the original video and led to the August 2026 arrests of Veeramani, Shanthi and Mahendra Simhan. A Special Investigation Team was later set up to handle the matter. Across the eight cases, Veeramani has been arrested in each. The other accused include Shanthi (three cases), driver Lazar (five cases), Mahendra Simhan (two), Ganesan (two), and Srinivasan, Sakthivel, Babu and Parthiban (one each). All are housed in Puzhal Central Prison, Chennai. Lazar spent one day in police custody, during which a white car used in the crime was identified. A POCSO court ordered the Tamil Nadu government to provide a relief fund of ₹2 lakh to one victim. Police will file final reports for two of the eight cases in the coming week. ## Context The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, makes sexual abuse of minors a non‑bailable offence and places the burden of proof on the accused. Multiple filings against a single businessperson highlight how the law can be used to address systematic abuse in private enterprises. The relief fund reflects the court’s effort to support victims financially.