Veeramani sex scandal: Probe widens as CCB searches five premises
The Chennai Central Crime Branch (CCB) on Wednesday, September 23, carried out searches at five locations as part of its investigation into allegations of sexual abuse involving Gem Granites businessman R Veeramani, 84.
The searches followed the arrest of Ganesan on Tuesday. Investigators allege that Ganesan possessed a video depicting Veeramani in a sexually explicit act involving a minor but did not alert the authorities. Ganesan is understood to have been associated with Veeramani.
According to police, teams searched the residence of Prakash in Perambur, his office in Royapettah, Veeramani’s offices in Gopalapuram, his residence in T Nagar and another premises. Mobile phones, documents and other digital material were reportedly taken for examination.
Police said searches at three locations had been completed, while operations at the Gopalapuram and T Nagar properties were continuing.
The CCB has also issued a Look Out Circular against Prakash, who is the son of a railway trade union office-bearer. Investigators had summoned him over alleged financial dealings connected to the case. The LOC was issued after he received the summons, police said.
The investigation dates back to 2025, when authorities received a USB drive containing a video allegedly showing a minor being sexually assaulted at a guest house in Teynampet in 2019.
An earlier investigation resulted in a closure report after police said they could not establish the identities of the girl and the man seen in the footage. The court subsequently rejected the report and directed investigators to pursue the case further.
A special team led by ACP Rajalakshmi later identified the survivor and established that she was underage when the alleged incident occurred.
Veeramani, along with Shanti, 60, and Mahendra Simhan, 63, was arrested on August 29.
A court later permitted three days of police custody for Veeramani from September 17 to September 20. Because of his age and health concerns, questioning has been conducted inside Puzhal prison and recorded on video.
During the probe, investigators reportedly came across information suggesting that other minor girls could have been victims. Seven additional survivors were subsequently identified.
As one of the survivors belongs to a Scheduled Caste community, police have also invoked provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.