- 35 minutes ago
Tamil Nadu granite industrialist and Gem Granites founder R Veeramani faces an intensive probe under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act following his arrest over allegations of minor sexual abuse.
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00:04story that shook india's conscience
00:10india today leads tamirnad epstein coverage
00:14this man is referred to as the granite king of tamirnadu and now people are saying that this
00:19case could blow up almost as if he's the epstein of tamirnadu because of the serious allegations
00:25against him from first allegation to first response he started acting like a godfather to me and use
00:36me for his personal benefits by assuring me with bright promises it was clearly an abuse scene
00:43it's very difficult to digest shocking as well very elderly man we broke the news others follow
00:56relentless fight for justice will continue
01:04kamirnadze epstein unmasked by india today
01:16hello and welcome good evening you're joining us on the special broadcast on india today i'm
01:21akshita nanda kopal through the week here on india today we've been covering every update every twist
01:27and turn in the veeramani boxo case now with the latest updates coming in an sit team has now been
01:33formed this is an all-woman s it team that will look into the allegations and the alleged cover-up
01:39that led to this man being uh in fact hidden for so long that ensured that he didn't face justice
01:46for
01:46so long face the uh impact of the law we'll also get to the details of the politics chief minister
01:51vijay now speaking out lashing out at the dmk on this particular issue that much more coming your
01:57way i'm akshita nanda kopal here are the headlines
02:05politics peaks over ec rift report rahul claims cec rigged polls poll body rejects charge claims all
02:12s ir orders were unanimously approved by all ecs
02:22congress hits the streets across the nation seeking resignation of cec gyanesh kumar congress
02:27girao's ec offices in several states patna protestants violent as cops resort to water
02:40caminata chief minister vijay rain's fire on dmk over veeramani sex scandal says one man destroyed
02:46lives of children under previous regime demands answers from former chief minister mk stalin
02:57delhi rape survivor recounts horror says rape accused asif brandished a gun and threatened her
03:03says she was dragged to a dark spot in the park as the accused threatened to kill her
03:18political storm after court allows us mercenary matthew van dyke to return home for a month congress
03:26renew surrender moody attacker prime minister moody says van dyke isn't coming back
03:50and let's begin with the latest update latest reactions coming in on the veeramani case for the
03:55first time chief minister vijay has spoken out on the entire issue saying that one man was ruining
04:03the lives of children in the state and yet he wasn't arrested by the previous regime chief minister
04:09vijay's question the silence of the dmk on this issue so the tvk now raising this issue constantly
04:16with chief minister vijay while campaigning for the upcoming bipolar in marinagam has in fact referred
04:23to this particular incident and has demanded answers from the dmk listen into some of those reactions
04:29chief minister vijay as chief minister vijay and adhavar
04:59chief minister vijay and adhavar
05:19I'll see you next time.
06:17Who is this?
06:19Who is this?
06:20Who is this?
06:21Who is this?
06:22Who is this?
06:23For now,
06:24we have all the rights,
06:25all the rights,
06:27all the rights,
06:28all the rights,
06:29all the rights.
06:31So those are the reactions from the government.
06:38Now, Chief Minister Vijay Minister Adhav Arjuna
06:40going ahead and demanding answers from the DMK
06:43asking why Veeramuni was shielded for so long.
06:46Let's, in fact, get you now an India Today exclusive.
06:49We've been tracking the latest updates
06:51coming in on this particular case.
06:53And even as the evidence is now piling up against Veeramuni,
06:57let's get you a conversation with the man
06:59who first handed over that video evidence to the police
07:02in the Veeramuni case.
07:04This is, in fact, the whistleblower who we spoke to.
07:07He is, in fact, with an NGO.
07:10He had that pen drive.
07:12It had a note saying offenders, Veeramuni and Shanti.
07:15And with that particular pen drive,
07:17he handed it over to the cops.
07:19This was in 2025.
07:21Absolutely no action was taken.
07:22Listen in to the whistleblower.
07:28The first and foremost thing we would like to know is that,
07:31how it started?
07:32How did you get this particular evidence?
07:33And from then on, what happened?
07:36Last year, 2025, October 6th, a person walked in and he said there is a CD.
07:44And we have, similarly, we have seen different experience like that.
07:49And normally we will not ask the person who is giving some evidence.
07:52We will not, it's unlinked anomalies.
07:55We receive as it is.
07:57As it is.
07:58And there was an envelope in a pen drive, inside red color pen drive,
08:03and a small note in half a page of scribbling pad.
08:06My staff received it on 6th of October.
08:11And after that, I came sometime at 11 o'clock.
08:14We both saw that.
08:16And it was clearly an abuse scene.
08:19It's very difficult to digest shocking as well.
08:22Very elderly man.
08:23It's a blurred video.
08:25But we can make it.
08:26It's a very elderly man.
08:28A small girl.
08:29Blurred in the sense?
08:30Blurred in the sense.
08:32Whether purposely they did it or the quality of the camera, we didn't know.
08:38The face was blurred or the entire video?
08:41Purposely blurred.
08:42It is not masking things.
08:44It is not masking.
08:45The quality of the video is very poor.
08:47The quality of the video is poor.
08:49They didn't mask.
08:49They mainly mask the person focusing on protecting the identity.
08:55Only the quality of the video is now poor.
08:57And the girl, the small girl has 9 years.
09:00She'll be 12 years old.
09:02She's facing that person, the abuser.
09:06And 20 minutes video, the total time.
09:09The girl comes and stops.
09:11He started abusing her.
09:13And she goes back.
09:14And she comes back.
09:15The third time when she comes back,
09:17she's trying to remove her cloths.
09:19And that ends the CD.
09:21Then we gave immediately.
09:23We thought we need to hand it over to the authority.
09:27There are a lot of questions arises.
09:29Why are you taking it all the way to the A.V.A.S.
09:32Anti-Vice Court?
09:33You might have given to the local police.
09:35Why not you give?
09:36No, we work very closely with the Anti-Vice Court for the last 20 years.
09:39Even though we are very specialist in rescuing, focusing on rescuing minor girls into prostitution.
09:46We'll end up rescuing adult people.
09:49So, we work with them closely.
09:51We know the officers.
09:52We go and give them.
09:53We told them this is happening.
09:54Then they said, if you are sure that this is an abusive video, you complained.
10:01Apoorva Jai Chandran is joining us with more details on the story.
10:05Apoorva, so you've got now more and more evidence that's piling up in this particular case against Veeramani.
10:10It's also turning very, very political.
10:13But the one aspect for which the question still remains, Apoorva, is who helped in that cover-up?
10:18You know, even in the conversation with the whistleblower,
10:20he confirms that he did hand over that pen drive to the Chennai police.
10:25Well, that's right.
10:26In fact, Akshita, if you do see, these are a lot that is being exposed right now.
10:31Right from, you know, who was behind this nexus.
10:34It's not just Veeramani.
10:35It's not just Shanti, who has now come out and said that she was also a victim.
10:40It's not just two or three other persons who were the right hand of Veeramani.
10:44We are also looking into government officials.
10:47People who are, you know, sitting right in the top of the, you know, chair of power.
10:51We're also looking at police officials who have gone ahead and shut down this case.
10:56This entire investigation saying that there wasn't anything kind of close in the end of a fire.
11:03Okay.
11:03Apoorva, I'm having a bit of a problem with your audio.
11:06Thanks, though, for joining us with all of those details.
11:08I'll cut across to a newspaper coming in on the story.
11:15The judicial custody of Veeramani has now been extended till October 9th.
11:20Veeramani currently is in the Pural Central Jail and that's where he will remain.
11:25The Central Crime Branch Police have registered a case.
11:27They had arrested Veeramani along with Shanti, Mahindra Simhan and all the others who worked in collusion.
11:33Ganeshan being another who is Veeramani's assistant.
11:36Now, the judicial custody of Veeramani has been extended.
11:40It's been extended right up till October 9th.
11:43Now, for security reasons, he wasn't produced in court, in person, but rather through video conference.
11:50Virtually, he was produced before the judge.
11:53This is the same judge, Padma, who had, in fact, ensured that there was no closure report and that the
11:59investigation continued.
12:00The judge has now ordered that his judicial custody be extended until October 9th.
12:09And let's now take this across to Khushbu Sundar, BJP leader, actor.
12:14But as a Chenayat, as a woman, as a mother who's witnessed what's happened, she joins us on this broadcast.
12:23Khushbu, thank you, ma'am, for joining us.
12:25Your reaction, first of all, on this crime and the manner in which this monster was shielded,
12:30the manner in which he got away with these crimes for so many years.
12:34Your first reaction, ma'am?
12:39I think it's repulsive.
12:45There's, you know, kind of an anger within me, which cannot be expressed in words.
12:51As a woman, as a mother of two girls.
12:58I fail to understand that how some men can even be like this.
13:04As monstrous as this.
13:06Someone who has been around, who has garnered respectability because of the position you are in.
13:14Someone who has built an empire.
13:16Someone who always went on saying that I'm the one who's done this.
13:23And hiding yourself, the real you, behind the name, the fame, and probably calling yourself a philanthropist at some point.
13:35And doing so much for the society is only a facade to cover up your own devil or the most
13:45devil.
13:46I think even a devil would fail in front of the story that has been unfolded.
13:56And ma'am, also, you know, when you look at this particular incident,
14:06does it shock you that something like this was happening right under our nose in Chennai?
14:10And people knew.
14:12People knew and they ignored it.
14:17Yeah, that's more shocking because there are so many people who knew about it.
14:22And they chose to remain silent.
14:24And that is what I don't understand.
14:25My only question remains is, had it been your own child, would you still remain silent?
14:31Because it was somebody else's child.
14:33Because it was not someone who's not related to you, not known to you.
14:36Because you think, I am fine.
14:39I need to get something done.
14:41And I am able to get my job done.
14:43So let us cover this up.
14:45That is what fails me.
14:47And I don't know, you know.
14:50Actually, I totally don't understand that how someone can even do things.
14:57Look at your age.
14:59And look at the age of the victims.
15:02It's not even the age here.
15:04I mean, what were you even thinking when you were abusing these young kids?
15:12What were you even thinking when there are few people around who are supplying these young children to a man
15:19who is probably much older even to be their own grandfather?
15:25Correct.
15:27And have we become so selfish in this world where nothing matters to me except I, me, myself?
15:37You know, it's not one person.
15:39I don't blame the main accused here.
15:42I blame the entire surrounding, the entire nexus, the network in which this has been going on in Tamil Nadu,
15:52in Chennai.
15:55And nobody spoke about it.
15:57And today when it comes out, it's a rude shock to all of us.
16:01Yeah.
16:01It's a rude shock.
16:03And more than shock, like I said before, it's the anger which is within us.
16:08I mean, even if you have an iota that something like this has been going on, I think you should
16:14be the first person to go and complain and raise a voice.
16:17Because today it's somebody else's child.
16:19That didn't happen, yeah.
16:19Tomorrow it could be somebody from your own home.
16:22What would you do then?
16:22Yeah.
16:23Still remain a mute spectator?
16:25Because you're being paid?
16:26Or because you're enjoying the perks of being someone?
16:30What's the difference?
16:31Even a pimp will have his own, you know, certain rules set out for him.
16:36The do's and don'ts for him.
16:38But these people were worse than a pimp.
16:41No, these people, whether it's the accused or those who helped in the cover-up, zero conscience.
16:46Also, but ma'am, what kind of a precedent does this really set in Tamil Nadu?
16:51Someone who has access to the power corridor, someone who paid them off, presumably, can get away with anything.
16:57Literally anything.
16:58The most heinous crimes, the details, the videos are there.
17:02No action.
17:03People knew about it.
17:07I think this is just the tip of an iceberg.
17:10If it has happened in Chennai, I'm sure it's happening somewhere else.
17:15I'm very sure it's happening somewhere else.
17:17And I really hope that people do come out and speak.
17:20At least the victims, they come out and speak.
17:22And those who have been part of this horrendous crime.
17:29And people who have known or someone said that, oh, I knew this was happening.
17:34But you were a mute spectator.
17:35What the heck?
17:36If you knew about it, you should have complained.
17:38You should have raised your voice.
17:40You should have put it out.
17:41You should have shouted.
17:42You should have gone to the rooftop and said, this is happening and we need to curb it.
17:46We need to put a full stop to it.
17:47We need to save the other children.
17:48But nobody did that.
17:50No.
17:50And if something like this is happening and if somebody is aware that something like this
17:55is happening, I think they just have to raise their voices.
17:59You can't, you can't keep quiet and you say it's okay for a child to be abused because
18:06it's not my right.
18:07No, it's not right.
18:09It's not right.
18:10Humanly impossible for someone to remain quiet and say that it's okay to let it happen.
18:14No, but ma'am, you know, some tried to speak.
18:17It wasn't complete silence.
18:19Some tried to speak.
18:20Twice, in fact.
18:21And you'd think that, you know, a politician or congress leader speaks out.
18:24That's an influential voice.
18:26They spoke out and NGO handed over a pen drive.
18:29So, some did try to speak.
18:30Nothing happened.
18:31So, is it difficult really to speak out in such an environment to say, you know, the
18:36survivors should come forward?
18:37How do they?
18:37Because even those who tried to speak out, there was no action.
18:42I think till it hits them, their own families, their own children, they won't react.
18:46And that is what my question is.
18:48I mean, this man has supposed to be, supposed to have paid 70 crores to, you know, cover up
18:53this matter, sold off a property for less than half the rate of the market price.
18:59I mean, for money, for luxuries of life, you're going to sell your conscious.
19:04You're going to sell your own children.
19:06You're going to sell your own mother.
19:08I mean, is that way you're going to work?
19:11I don't understand.
19:12How do you even sleep?
19:13How do you eat?
19:14How do you live?
19:15How do you breathe this air?
19:18Is what I don't understand.
19:19I was going to sell your conscious for a few, you know, few lakhs, whatever it is.
19:25How are you even going to live comfortably?
19:27How do you sleep?
19:28Your conscious, your conscience doesn't hit you.
19:32How do you even live with this, with this kind of guilt?
19:35I don't understand.
19:36I don't understand.
19:37And it's very unfortunate that, you know, how people who are supposed to take an action,
19:43how those who are supposed to react, those who are supposed to safeguard our society
19:48and our children have been partnered in this.
19:51And that is definitely a worrying point that where do we go next?
19:59If those who are supposed to save us, those who are supposed to take an action,
20:03if they have turned a blind eye because they were paid, where do we go from here?
20:09Are we failing somewhere totally as a society?
20:14Are we going in a position where we are saying,
20:17Mere saa toh kuch ni hoara, toh it's okay.
20:19Why?
20:19Let me turn a blind eye.
20:21Or are we saying that,
20:23Ye toh chalta rehta yaar, choti moti baate hain.
20:25Let's forget about it.
20:26Where are we heading is what hits you hard.
20:30And if we don't speak up now, if we don't stand up for these children,
20:35if we don't stand up for the victims, not only in this case, all the other cases,
20:39I think we are not human anymore.
20:44We have become some robotic creatures where nothing penetrates.
20:50All that matters, all we see is green colored note because that is all matters to us.
20:55I think somewhere we are killing the human trait what we have in us.
21:03Aise logo so toh road ke kutte bhale yaar.
21:05At least they show some loyalty.
21:07So, I don't know.
21:09I don't know where we are heading.
21:10No, I agree with you that this is almost like a test for each of us for society
21:15on how really this case moves forward.
21:18But ma'am also on the investigation front.
21:20Look, today an SIT has been formed.
21:22Several accused have been arrested.
21:24There is a question right now on whether we can expect a fair investigation by the police into the police.
21:30Or do you think that this warrants for a central agency investigation?
21:37I don't know.
21:38I am sorry.
21:39When you think about the children, you know, probably the mother in me wakes up.
21:48A farmer is insulted.
21:50A farmer is killed in our society because he is pushed to kill himself because he is not able to
21:56pay his debts.
21:57But here we have rapists who are roaming around freely.
22:00Here we have rapists who are just behind the bars for a couple of months and then they come out.
22:06We are failing somewhere in our system.
22:12The way we think, the way probably the constitutional laws that we have, we have been following these constitutional laws
22:21for many, many years without any changes.
22:24Until and unless we bring a very strong change in our laws, I think the fear factor won't be there.
22:30They think you can buy people with money.
22:35They think that this is happening.
22:37Because I am close to one particular political party, this matter would be hushed up.
22:42Until and unless we don't wake up, you know, trigger that moment when you were born to a woman and
22:52here there is another child who could be a mother tomorrow.
22:56If you don't wake up that factor, and I am not talking about a male child or a female child,
23:03a child is a child.
23:04When a child is sexually abused, the gender does not matter.
23:08Trust me, for someone who has been through this abuse, the scar remains.
23:11Yes, it heals over time.
23:13But then the scar remains forever.
23:15And I want people to wake up.
23:18And I want to bring in changes in our country.
23:20I want to urge all the people who are part of the system, please wake up.
23:26Because until and unless we don't stand together, this will continue.
23:31Today, this is one case in Tamil Nadu and we see every day a child is being molested.
23:36Where do they get this freedom from?
23:39Where they feel that it's okay for me to molest a woman, to sexually assault a woman, a child, a
23:4616-year-old kid, 17-year-old kid, an 18-year-old woman, a 2-year-old child.
23:51Where are we heading?
23:52And until and unless we do not bring in changes in the law.
23:57This will continue to happen.
24:02We need a stricter laws that you have to bring in those laws.
24:08Okay, you have to face the consequences.
24:10And the people who are there, out there, who are supposed to protect the people who are affected or who
24:18have been assaulted or they have been through this.
24:24I think even those human beings have to wake up from a slumber and say, what are you going to
24:30do with this money, Pao?
24:32Are you going to wear it like a dress and walk around?
24:34Are you going to put it like a mattress and sleep?
24:37Or are you going to use it like a blanket?
24:39Or are you going to make it into a plate?
24:41Or are you going to, instead of roti and instead of your chawal, are you going to eat up these
24:44notes?
24:45What are you going to do with that?
24:48You need money, yes, but not at the cost of somebody else's life, not the cost of a child's life,
24:53not at the cost of you trying to be nice to someone because it's filling your tijori.
24:59No, these things don't happen.
25:01I think we need to wake up.
25:02And I'm really disturbed because I took some time to speak up because, you know, it was very difficult for
25:10me to digest.
25:11It was very difficult for me to digest.
25:13And I think probably I'm a little more emotional about it because I have to girl child.
25:20My daughters are there.
25:22And trust me, if somebody would ever try to touch my children, I won't wait for the laws.
25:27I may be wrong.
25:28I'm absolutely wrong in my thinking.
25:30But if I have to take laws in my hand, probably I would.
25:33This is not the way forward.
25:34I completely understand.
25:35Tomorrow, somebody might bombard me that you're sending out the wrong message to the people.
25:39But if the laws are right, nobody would have to go the other way.
25:42There are so many cases we see where they have been struggling and fighting for justice.
25:48But we continue for years together.
25:51And some political pull, some money power, and they go scot-free.
25:57So I think we need to stop this somewhere.
25:59We need to bring in the changes of the law.
26:01You know, you're very emotional today, ma'am.
26:04And I think a lot of people will understand that as well.
26:12You're speaking as a mother, not a politician.
26:14I'm not talking anything else.
26:17Actually, it hurts.
26:18Imagine what a mother would go through when she realizes that her child, that innocent life
26:25is snipped out because of somebody's...
26:29I don't know.
26:31I don't know.
26:32The mother in me kills me.
26:33It really kills me.
26:36My thought goes beyond to those mothers what they would go through.
26:40You know, they go through the guilt that I failed to protect my child somewhere.
26:44It's not one life.
26:46It's the entire family you killed together.
26:50The child, the parents, those who love the child.
26:54I don't know.
26:56It's really, really very disturbing.
26:59You know, ma'am, for the last many days, we've been covering this story here on India Today.
27:03I've been doing it on my show.
27:04And every day when we speak about this, I've been trying to find the words for the survivors,
27:11a message to them.
27:12I'm sure they've given up on justice.
27:14And honestly, to say anything to them, I've been at a loss of words.
27:18They today...
27:19You know, we can all apologize as much as we want, but they deserve way more than that.
27:23They deserve way more than just an apology.
27:28One apology?
27:30A little money, compensation, and then what?
27:33What about the child who has been through this?
27:36What about the parents who have been through this?
27:38It will stay with them for years together, for months together, probably for lifelong.
27:43You don't overcome such assaults.
27:46It stays with you forever.
27:48For them, the journey is going to be difficult because they have to fight this out.
27:52They have to fight within the system for justice.
27:56And that is the most painful thing.
27:58And it's not one day.
27:59It will continue.
28:00The same questions will be again and again and again put out to the children.
28:05Because you will definitely find someone who is going to stand up in the court and fight for the rights
28:11of this so-called reputed and respected man.
28:16Yeah.
28:17Despite the proofs, what we have in our hands, that this man has assaulted, abused, molested, sexually assaulted, used these
28:30young children for his own satisfaction.
28:34I think he deserves the worst punishment.
28:37He deserves the worst punishment.
28:39His punishment should set out a message for others that the next could be you.
28:44Sent out a message, sure ma'am.
28:46But you know the accused here, Viramani, he's 85.
28:49He's done this for decades going by the evidence that's there now.
28:53And so any punishment today, you know, there will be a question.
28:57Is this too late?
28:58Too little, too late, too much outrage now.
29:00What's the point?
29:01He's been going about this for decades.
29:05It is.
29:05It is definitely too late.
29:07It is definitely too late.
29:08You can't you can't say that, you know, if somebody might fight it and say that this was because it
29:15was it's his age.
29:17And I think, you know, he can't be in the jail or he can't be given the harsh punishment.
29:24If you are going to behave in a manner where you say that I am capable enough to abuse the
29:32children.
29:34I'm definitely going to take up the punishment, which is metted out to you.
29:40And that should be the harshest one.
29:43No sympathy.
29:45Nothing is going to go here saying that, oh, Vichara itna bura hai, toh us ke liye kyun karna hai?
29:50What is he going to do?
29:51I think he just needs to go through this.
29:54No, I agree that at this stage now, the only thing we can do is perhaps ensure that there's zero
30:00mercy shown.
30:01That there's the harshest punishment and there's a message, a precedent that's set with this particular case.
30:08Everyone sat quiet for far too long.
30:10Now's the time to act to outrage as you have, ma'am.
30:14Thank you very much, Kushpo Sundar, for joining us here on India Today.
30:18So many of these voices matter because when as a society you come out and say enough is enough,
30:24that's when you'll see that change.
30:25That's when you will see finally action taking place.
30:27It's because we failed to do that before that he managed to get away for so long.
30:32That despite people knowing they didn't care, they didn't think at any point it would come to the fore,
30:36they thought they'd get away with covering up this crime.
30:39That's not happened.
30:40They are now hopefully paying the price.
30:55So the Viramani case is at the heart of Tamil Nadu's political pot boiler as well.
31:01It's raising serious questions over an investigation that was first closed, reopened, closed, reopened.
31:10What happened in between?
31:11There are so many questions surrounding the investigation and the cover up here.
31:16Viramani is one aspect of it.
31:17He's been taken into custody.
31:18His aides are being busted one after another.
31:20But who helped him get away for so long when cases were filed, when complaints went through and yet nothing
31:25was done?
31:30Tamil Nadu's Epstein files are making headlines now.
31:35Industrialist Viramani's free run, despite facing grave charges of sexually abusing minors,
31:41is a telling commentary on how the rich and mighty can get away with anything.
31:47Congress leader Ranjan Kumar claims he had lodged a complaint and even submitted screenshots related to the 84-year-old
31:56Granite Baron to the police in 2024.
31:59But no action was taken.
32:02The twist came on October 6th, 2025, when a whistleblower left a pen drive and a note at the office
32:09of the Indian Community Welfare Organization,
32:12an NGO run by A.J. Hariharan.
32:16The pen drive allegedly contained video evidence.
32:21Hariharan handed over the pen drive and note to the anti-vice court of Chennai police.
32:51But after nearly four months, the police dropped the investigation in February.
32:57One explanation given by the police was that the image was unclear and grainy.
33:03But we are living in the age of technology, where A.I. can be used to enhance footage.
33:09The other explanation was that the man's identity could not be confirmed from the video.
33:14Some argue Veeramani had a clean image and no prior cases.
33:19But since when does the absence of prior cases or a clean record establish innocence?
33:26The next big twist came in August when a special POCSO court refused to close the case and ordered reinvestigation.
33:36The fresh probe led to the arrest of Veeramani, his alleged accomplice Shanti and her husband Mahindra Simham and his
33:44employee Ganeshan.
33:46The delay in investigation raises two big questions.
33:49If the complaint was filed by Congress leader Ranjan Kumar in 2024, why was no action taken then?
33:56And despite the pen drive and address details, why was no action taken by the police?
34:02And why was the investigation closed instantly?
34:07Bureau Report, India Today.
34:15Clearly, this wasn't just about one individual.
34:19Yes, there's an aspect of the cover-up, but the crime itself, the sexual assault of minor girls.
34:24There were many within his circle who helped him.
34:28The investigation right now is underway to identify each of Veeramani's aides
34:33and whether they knew about what he was up to.
34:36There are multiple associates, financial transactions linked to the case that are being looked into.
34:42A special investigation team led by four senior women police officers is now probing the allegations.
34:49Who helped Veeramani?
34:51Who arranged these young girls for him?
34:54Who, in fact, took care of the house in which he committed these crimes?
34:59All those answers in our next report.
35:05It takes a team to execute a crime and get away with it.
35:09Veeramani, the industrialist accused in a child abuse case, allegedly had a whole team ready to back him.
35:17At the centre of the case is the 84-year-old granite trader.
35:22Then comes his close aide, Mahendra Simhan.
35:25He is accused of allegedly facilitating the crimes.
35:30Then there is Mahendra Simhan's wife, Shanti, who is accused of procuring minors for Veeramani
35:36and managing the house allegedly used for sexual assaults.
35:41According to sources, she was questioned by the crime branch about how the movement of children was facilitated.
35:49And investigators also questioned her about the alleged mode of payments.
35:55Shanti allegedly projected herself as a victim, claiming that she too was assaulted by Veeramani when she was 13,
36:02and that she was naive about what was happening.
36:06The fourth arrest was that of Ganeshan, another close aide of Veeramani.
36:11He allegedly possessed video evidence but failed to report it to the police.
36:18He was unknowingly becoming a victim of these vicious sexual advances.
36:26He started acting like a godfather to me and used me for his personal benefits by assuring me with bright
36:35promises.
36:36According to police sources, investigators have tracked bank transactions to multiple bank accounts, including that of Prakash.
36:46Police are probing who allegedly facilitated the transfer of around 70 crore rupees and for what purpose.
36:54Investigators are now examining the recipients of the money and the nature of these transactions.
37:00A special investigation team has been constituted to probe the sex assault case.
37:06Four senior women police officers have been appointed as part of the SIT.
37:12More allegations and details are emerging in the Veeramani Poxo case.
37:16And the investigation will determine who else is linked to the case.
37:22Bureau Report, India Today.
37:28We've told you about the cover-up.
37:30We've told you about the number of people who helped Veeramani commit these crimes.
37:34And the question that it all comes down to, who is this man?
37:38How is he so powerful, so influential that he got everyone to keep quiet about these serious crimes for so
37:46long?
37:46He's an industrialist, the owner, the founder of Gem Granite.
37:51So extremely influential in Tamil Nadu.
37:55But that hasn't stopped him from being behind bars right now.
37:58He tried to use all of this power and influence to go ahead and commit these crimes and get away
38:04with it, which he did for decades.
38:05Finally, he's paying the price now.
38:08The 84-year-old is now in the Pural Central prison with these serious allegations of sexually abusing minors.
38:16He managed to keep it on the down low using money power because, reportedly, there's a 70 crore money trail.
38:24There are also questions about a land deal, of a land, in fact, a property that he sold off for
38:31a pittance.
38:31And questions being asked about whether that was also used to influence this particular case.
38:36So a lot of questions about who this monster is.
38:39How is he so powerful, so influential in Tamil Nadu's power corridors?
38:44Let's break that down for you.
38:50Years of hard work can build an empire, but one case can bring it all crashing down.
38:56At 84, industrialist R. Veeramani, who is now called Tamil Nadu's Epstein,
39:02the man behind Gem Granites and the wider Gem Group, is now behind bars.
39:08A trained lawyer who built a business empire, Veeramani became a prominent name in granite and natural stone industry.
39:17His fall from grace began with a serious criminal case.
39:21Veeramani has been accused of sexually abusing multiple minors over several years at a rented house.
39:28And what makes this case stand out is the influence Veeramani is said to have wielded across institutions.
39:37He founded the Federation of Indian Granite and Stone Industry and also served as president of the World Natural Stone
39:44Association.
39:45In government and policy circles, he has been associated with boards linked to the Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of
39:53Mines.
39:53In education, his name has been associated with institutions including VIT University and Anna University.
40:02And in international business, he serves as president of the Indo-Russian Chamber of Commerce.
40:11There are also reports of an alleged 70 crore rupees money trail linked to the case.
40:17An industrialist with decades of influence, now facing the law over grave allegations of sexual abuse.
40:24The story of our Veeramani is now a stark reminder that influence and stature do not place anyone above scrutiny.
40:34Bureau Report, India Today.
40:39And with all of these questions over influence, over cover-up, one question looms large.
40:45It's built over into a political fight as well.
40:48About whether Veeramani got political support, whether there was political influence to shut down the case against him.
40:55It's over this question that the TVK and the DMK are fighting it out.
41:00Chief Minister Vijay, while campaigning, also raised these questions of the DMK asking why Stalin has been silent over these
41:08allegations.
41:09The DMK is dismissed to all of these claims saying that they are for a fair and impartial investigation.
41:20The DMK's alleged Epstein-style case involving R. Veeramani has now taken a political turn.
41:28Veeramani has been arrested in connection with allegations of molesting minors.
41:32Four people have been arrested so far, but the politics around the case is now heating up.
41:38The first major political statement has come from Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and TVK Chief C. Joseph Vijay.
41:45Taking a dig at the DMK government, Vijay claimed that he knows who is backing Veeramani.
41:52You said sir, you will be .
41:54The word is .
41:56You will be .
41:57Be the men you will .
41:59They will be .
42:03The .
42:21CM Vijay wasn't the only one.
42:24Minister Radha Varjuna also lashed out at DMK over the Viramani case and the cover-up.
42:58But the DMK has hit back at the allegations.
43:01Former Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin said that no culprit should be spared and that the accused
43:08must face the maximum punishment under the law.
43:11He also accused the opposition of spreading false allegations against the DMK, insisting
43:18that the DMK government has not shielded anyone.
43:39The political showdown over the week has snowballed with TVK and
43:44DMK pointing fingers at each other.
43:49The CM has ordered for a high-level investigation that there is no CMS in the police department.
43:56There should not be any labs and definitely all procedures need to be followed.
43:59And definitely whoever has been involved in this need to be taken very strict action.
44:03Definitely this was, we straight away accused the previous government and then Chief Minister
44:12Mr. M. K. Stalin.
44:14Because I don't think without his instructions this would have put on hold.
44:28DMK's former law minister also dismissed the criticism that Viramani was shielded but it only led to
44:35a bigger war of words.
44:36M-cranite was安全, indicating that her
44:38name is not a 그러�ward of M-cranite you have to deal with.
44:40The rule of the law is completely untouched.
44:42The rule of the law is to stand and enhance the attention of the law.
44:45And that the law is to step up and revenge the record.
44:47The reason why there is no sense of video clarity or shadow is,
44:50the law is not connected to the current authority.
44:53So how is this?
44:53The first thing is,
44:55did you get some of the play in this case?
44:58I have to take the repンデile of this.
45:00No one does for me.
45:02Who else will help me?
45:03Who will help me?
45:03Who will tell me?
45:14And now the Veeramani case is no longer just about the allegations against one man.
45:19It has become a political battle over women's safety, accountability and alleged political protection.
45:28Bureau Report, India Today.
45:33From the cover-up to the entire syndicate here on India Today, we're going to continue, as we have, tracking
45:41the story, getting you the latest on the investigation and ensuring that every monster involved in this crime pays the
45:47price.
45:47That's all we have time for on this broadcast. Thanks very much for tuning in.