The Daily PulsePolitics
Tamil Nadu forms women police team for granite tycoon case as High Court restricts media details
Reported by Shreya Kapoor (Senior Writer) · ThePrint - Politics ·
Reported by one source so far
Representative image · Wikimedia CommonsSpecial Team Formed
An all-woman Special Investigation Team has been formed by the Tamil Nadu government to probe the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences case against GEM Granites chairman R. Veeramani. Director-General of Police Dr Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal formed the four-member team, which will work under the supervision of the Greater Chennai Police Commissioner. P.C. Thenmozhi, Additional Commissioner of Police for the Central Crime Branch, is heading the team. Its members include Disha Mittal, Joint Commissioner of Police Law and Order, West, J. Mutharasi, Superintendent of Police and Media Relations Officer in the DGP office, and V.V. Geethanjali, Deputy Commissioner of Police for Crime Against Women and Children.
High Court Orders
Meanwhile, the Madras High Court has ordered media houses and digital platforms not to share any information about the case except what the special team officially releases. Justice V. Lakshminarayanan stated on Friday that early sharing of such material can scare other victims, adding that human life matters more than TRP ratings. The court instructed the investigative team to issue a press release once a week to keep the public updated. The Greater Chennai Police also warned that sharing pictures or identity of a minor child is a crime under Section 23(2) of the POCSO Act of 2012.
Arrests And Suspensions
Veeramani was arrested on August 29 along with two associates, Shanthi and Mahendra Simhan. An ex-employee named Ganesan was also arrested later for keeping related video material. In connection with how the case was handled earlier, the state government has placed two senior IPS officers, A. Arun and N. Kannan, on compulsory wait. Assistant Commissioner of Police Yasmin was put on vacancy reserve for administrative reasons. The formal complaint was lodged in October 2025 after a child rights activist gave a pen drive with a video to the police, and a special POCSO court later rejected a police closure report to order a fresh probe.
Political Row
The case has sparked a major political fight in Tamil Nadu. TVK leader and Chief Minister Vijay accused the previous M.K. Stalin government during a Madurantakam bypoll campaign of burying the case and protecting the accused, calling the DMK an evil force. In response, M.K. Stalin posted on X that no order was ever given during the DMK regime to protect anyone, calling the accusations slanderous and noting that perpetrators of crimes against women have always faced arrest and chargesheets without bias.
ExplainerWhy this matters
What Happened
An all-woman Special Investigation Team has been established in Tamil Nadu to investigate child sexual abuse charges against granite businessman R. Veeramani, following controversy over how previous police complaints were handled and a court order rejecting an earlier police closure report.
Why It Matters
The case has triggered a massive political clash between ruling and opposition figures in Tamil Nadu, raising critical questions about institutional accountability, how police handle sensitive crimes against minors, and the legal limits on media reporting during active criminal investigations.
What Happens Next
The newly formed special investigation team will conduct its inquiry under court supervision, issuing weekly updates while the Madras High Court strictly monitors media compliance to protect victim identities and prevent the premature release of investigative material.
