R Veeramani and associates detained under Goondas Act in sexual abuse probe

R Veeramani, the 84-year-old founder of Gem Granites, and two associates, Mahendra Simhan and M Shanthi, have been detained under the Goondas Act in connection with multiple allegations of sexual abuse involving minors.

The investigation follows the rejection of a February 2026 closure report by a special court, which had previously seen police attempt to drop the case due to unclear video evidence. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has now registered a fifth case against Veeramani. Authorities are also investigating allegations of a cover-up involving former Chief Minister MK Stalin, former Law Minister S Regupathy, and senior police officers, following a petition by the legal wing of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam.

In addition to Veeramani, an employee named Ganesan was arrested for possessing video footage of the abuse without alerting police. The Greater Chennai Police have established a WhatsApp helpline to collect information from potential survivors, with several leads currently undergoing verification.