Chennai, Sep 22 The Central Crime Branch on Tuesday arrested Ganesan, a former Gem Granites employee, for possessing video evidence in the POCSO case against industrialist R Veeramani, while probing multi-crore financial transactions allegedly linked to the case.
Police sources said alleged financial transactions involving certain police officials, political personalities and representatives of media houses connected to the granite baron were under scrutiny.
Ganesan, who worked at the company for 23 years, was arrested after police recovered a video from his mobile phone allegedly showing the 84-year-old Gem Granites founder engaging in an obscene act with a minor girl. He was arrested for possessing the video and failing to report the matter to law enforcement authorities, police said.
The primary accused, Veeramani, a native of Namakkal and also a lawyer, along with his associates Shanthi and Mahendra Simhan, were booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and arrested on August 29. They were subsequently remanded in judicial custody and lodged in Puzhal Central Prison here.
Sources said the CCB had intensified its probe into multi-crore financial transactions allegedly linked to the case and was examining claims that substantial sums were transferred to influential individuals to suppress or influence the investigation.
Police summoned a prominent businessman for questioning in connection with the transactions and were probing the role of mediators who allegedly facilitated the deals.
Investigators have also detained an employee of Veeramani’s office, police said.
Ganesan, who had worked at Veeramani’s firm for 23 years, is currently employed with Balaji Global Enterprises, police said.
During the investigation, officers recovered the video involving a minor girl from his mobile phone.
“Ganesan was arrested for possessing the video and for not reporting its existence to the authorities,” a police statement said.
He was subsequently remanded in judicial custody and lodged in Puzhal Central Prison.
The CCB is investigating how Ganesan came into possession of the video, who sent it to him and the circumstances in which he received and retained it without informing the police.
According to an official, Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has instructed senior police officials to take appropriate action against those allegedly suppressing the case or causing delays. He directed them to ensure justice for the survivors.
Tamil Nadu Law Minister R Nirmal Kumar criticised former DMK minister S Regupathy over his comments dismissing the video evidence as “shadowy” and lacking probative value.
Questioning how a former minister could reach such a conclusion, Nirmal Kumar asked Regupathy who had verified the clip and on what legal basis he had made such assertions publicly.
Speaking to reporters here, Nirmal Kumar emphasised that the ongoing investigation must remain completely transparent and that all those involved should be held accountable, regardless of their status or influence.
Refuting the allegations, Regupathy asserted that his party had no links to GEM Granites or Veeramani and defended the previous government’s actions as being fully compliant with legal procedure.
Regupathy told reporters here that police had promptly registered an FIR upon receiving a complaint in October 2025 and maintained that the investigation had been delayed only to secure robust legal evidence rather than to drop the case.
In October 2025, an anonymous person handed over a pen drive to the Anti-Vice Police squad of the Greater Chennai Police, containing a video purportedly showing an elderly man assaulting a minor girl. Police identified the man as granite baron Veeramani and alleged that his two associates had facilitated the offences at a house in Teynampet.
Though police filed a closure report in February 2026, citing difficulties in identifying the minor, the Special POCSO Court rejected the report and ordered a wider investigation, which led to the arrest of Veeramani and his two associates on August 29.
(PTI News)
