00:00Let's move on and get you details of a story that we've been tracking very, very closely here on India
00:06Today.
00:07It's become a big national talking point.
00:09I'm referring to the Veeramani case and the POCSO allegations against him.
00:14It's being referred to as Tamil Nadu's Epson files and it's getting more and more twisted and murkier.
00:20The accused, one of the accused in this case, besides Veeramani, several others have been taken into custody.
00:25One of the accused is Shanti. She was someone who was running that house in which these crimes were taking
00:32place.
00:32She was also the one who was providing the girls for Veeramani.
00:37She's now projecting herself as the victim.
00:40The total number of arrests now stands at four. So let me break that down for you one by one.
00:45There is Veeramani who we've told you about, Jem Granite, Chairman, Kingpin, accused of sexually assaulting minor girls.
00:52The exact number not known just yet.
00:54Along with him, Mahendra Simhan, who is his close aide, who allegedly helped him commit these crimes,
01:01who was taking care of that house in Tenampad, he's been taken into custody as well.
01:05Shanti is Mahendra's wife.
01:08She also lived in that same house with Mahendra.
01:11The couple together were the ones who helped Veeramani commit these crimes.
01:16Shanti reportedly would procure these minors for Veeramani from slums and people, families, economically weaker sections.
01:24She'd bring them for him to sexually assault.
01:27So she'd find the victims.
01:29Now another arrest has taken place.
01:32Ganeshan.
01:32Again, a close aide of Veeramani.
01:35Now what we understand, the allegation against Ganeshan, why he's been taken into custody,
01:39is because he had that video proof.
01:42Videos of Veeramani allegedly sexually assaulting minors.
01:45And despite having that video proof, did not go to the cops, did not tell them what he knew.
01:50And so obviously by keeping quiet, we were vetting the crime.
01:54Let's get you all the updates.
02:15The Tamil Nadu equivalent of Epstein files involving granite businessman Veeramani is widening.
02:26India Today has accessed a video of co-accused Shanti, who makes a stunning allegation that
02:32Veeramani made sexual advances towards her when she was a minor.
02:37She claims he would visit her home when she was a child, make promises and made sexual advances.
02:44She added that now she fears for her life.
02:48I have been known to Mr. Veeramani from my childhood as a close family friend.
02:53He used to visit my house in the pretext of helping us on business fronts.
02:57Since I was two young, around 13 years old, I was not matured enough to foresee his bad intention.
03:04I was unknowingly becoming a victim of his vicious sexual advances.
03:12He started acting like a godfather to me and used me for his personal benefits.
03:19The police allege that Shanti managed a house used for sexual assaults and allegedly procured
03:26minors for Veeramani.
03:28She was arrested along with Veeramani on August 29th.
03:33Another aide of Veeramani, Ganeshan, has also been arrested by the police.
03:38Ganeshan was arrested for allegedly possessing a video on his mobile phone
03:42that showed Veeramani sexually abusing a girl and for failing to report it to the police.
03:48And now investigators are tracking an alleged 17 crore rupees financial trade.
03:55They are examining transactions and possible police links.
03:58The big question, was money used to influence the investigation or attempt a cover-up?
04:04Reacting to allegations of inaction during DMK regime, former law minister Raghupati tells India today
04:11that there was no evidence to proceed earlier and denies shielding Veeramani.
04:17He says the case had been filed as far back as 2013.
04:44The case has now exploded into a political fight.
04:48TVK has questioned CPIM's tan and alleged the case was nearly buried under the previous regime.
05:10The CPIM rejects any party involvement and calls the remarks surprising.
05:15It wants a thorough probe into everyone involved.
05:46The questions are now issued.
05:48impossible to ignore.
05:51Who knew?
05:53Who helped?
05:55Where did the money go?
05:57And was there any attempt to bury the case?
06:01With Pramod Madhavan Chinnai, Bureau Report, India Today.
06:08Let's break down for you exactly what's happening.
06:11Accused Shanti's claims have now widened the case.
06:14She's someone who's been a long-time associate of Veeramani.
06:18She's now positioning herself as a victim as well.
06:21She's accused of facilitating access to minors for Veeramani.
06:25She was in charge of finding minors between the age of 12 to 16 for him to sexually exploit.
06:30She claims that she trusted Veeramani like a godfather and that she was naïve to do so.
06:38Now here's what's interesting.
06:40The allegation against her, the reason she's in custody is because while she's got all of these girls, she'd stay
06:45in that house.
06:45She received money from the granite baron.
06:47But she claims that in fact she gave money to Veeramani and arranged funds for him as well.
06:55There are also allegations that she's linked to his company.
06:58Remember that he is a founder chairman of GEM Granites, GEM Granites.
07:03She now claims however that Veeramani and his son threatened her and that's why she had no option.
07:09This brings us to three new twists in the story in a matter of 24 hours.
07:14Apart from Shanti, the probe is now also tracking an alleged 70 crore rupees money trail.
07:23IGPA NS Ranjit Nair is examining these transactions, possible police links.
07:27How was this case closed off in five months?
07:30It's the biggest question that's being asked right now and the details is going to be investigated.
07:36They're also probing a possible cover-up or an attempt to influence the case.
07:40And if so, did anyone pocket money to ensure that Veeramani gets away?
07:45Now there's also another arrest.
07:47I told you about him earlier, Veeramani's aide, Ganeshan, who worked at Veeramani's company,
07:52GEM Granites, for 23 years.
07:54Currently works at Balaji Global Enterprises.
07:56He's been arrested.
07:57He was allegedly found in possession of an obscene video showing Veeramani sexually abusing a girl
08:03and he didn't report it to the police.
08:05That by itself is a crime.
08:07Anaga Keshav is joining us live from Chennai with the latest details on this.
08:11Anaga, I want to understand from you the investigation into the questions over the cover-up,
08:17into questions of who helped this cover-up take place.
08:21We understand now that there will be a parallel investigation of sorts into that aspect.
08:27That's right, Anjika.
08:28In fact, Ranjit Nair has been given the responsibility of really establishing this money trial.
08:34Because we're talking about 70 crore rupees that has exchanged hands to make sure that this case somehow gets hushed
08:41up.
08:41And therefore, an IPS officer has been appointed to establish the money trial.
08:46And it is during this course of investigation that they found that Mr. Ganeshan,
08:51who was associated with GEM Granites for over 23 years,
08:54has been in possession of a clip that shows that depicts Veeramani sexually assaulting girls,
09:01but failed to report to police.
09:03Now, according to law, being privy to a Boxo case and failing to report it to police also tantamounts to
09:09an offence.
09:10And therefore, they have secured him.
09:12They've sent him into Pural Prison.
09:14According to court orders, he was brought in front of the court.
09:18And then he was sent to Pural Prison.
09:20And as part of this investigation, the police will also try and find out how did Ganeshan really come into
09:27possession with this particular clip.
09:29Did he record it?
09:30Did somebody else record it and then pass it over to him?
09:33Or worse, did Veeramani himself record this clip?
09:36So, all these details are being probed by the police to really find out what really went down in the
09:41last many, many years.
09:43There are so many layers to the story, layers to the investigation as well.
09:47And we do hope that ultimately the truth comes out.
09:50There have been some demands that the CBI take over this case,
09:54considering, you know, there are questions being asked of the police themselves
09:57and whether they can actually be a fair probe on that front.
10:00We certainly hope so.
10:01Anaka, thanks for those details.
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