Gem Veeramani case: Police officers shifted, political leaders fight, Shanthi & husband face grilling
The Chennai Police Department has moved Assistant Commissioner of Police M.A. Yasmin out of her Koyambedu posting amid questions surrounding the handling of the case involving Gem Granites businessman R. Veeramani, who has been accused of sexually abusing minor girls.
Yasmin, who was among the officers involved during the early stages of the investigation, has reportedly been placed on vacancy reserve on administrative grounds.
At the same time, the Greater Chennai Police have begun examining allegations that certain political intermediaries who became aware of the case attempted to extract money from Veeramani.
Congress leader Ranjan Kumar said on Wednesday that he had alerted the police about the alleged offence in November 2024. He said he came to know about the matter after Shanthi, who is now an accused in the case, approached him seeking help in resolving a dispute involving Tamilaga Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam leader John Pandian.
Pandian has given a different account. He alleged that Shanthi and Kumar approached him and sought his assistance in obtaining ₹20 crore from Veeramani.
Pandian said Kumar had approached him around two-and-a-half years ago through another political functionary, describing the matter as a family dispute. According to Pandian, he subsequently met Kumar and Shanthi at a hotel in Chennai.
Pandian alleged that the two asked him to intimidate Veeramani to secure the money. He said he rejected the request and left the meeting. The allegations are now part of the police inquiry into the wider circumstances surrounding the case.
A POCSO Special Court has permitted the police to take Shanthi and her husband, Mahendra Simhan, into custody for three days for questioning.
Investigators said the custodial interrogation was necessary to verify information obtained during the investigation involving Veeramani. Police are seeking details about the number of minors who may have been affected, the alleged duration of the abuse and whether other individuals were involved.
The investigation is continuing on multiple fronts. Police have also warned the public against circulating photographs or videos that allegedly show Veeramani with a minor girl. Officers said publishing or sharing identifying material involving a child could amount to an offence under Section 23(2) of the POCSO Act.
The police have urged anyone possessing relevant evidence to submit it directly to the Greater Chennai Police rather than circulate it online.
Meanwhile, a Central Crime Branch team from Chennai searched two locations linked to Veeramani in Salem. The four-member team searched a granite office near the Kandampatti Butterfly Flyover at around 10.30 a.m. Investigators also searched a residence in State Bank Colony near Five Roads, with the operation reportedly continuing for more than three hours.