Businessman Veeramani Arrested in Teynampet Minor Sexual Assault Case

The Greater Chennai Police Anti-Vice Squad has arrested 84-year-old businessman R. Veeramani, along with two associates, under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for allegedly sexually exploiting minor girls at a rented house in Teynampet. Following new revelations, police are also investigating the 2003 death of a minor girl allegedly linked to the businessman.

Veeramani, also known as Gem Granites Veeramani, was arrested on Saturday alongside Shanthi and her husband, Mahendra Simhan. All three accused were subsequently remanded in judicial custody.

According to police, the case was registered on October 7, 2025, after a pen drive containing a video depicting the sexual assault of a minor girl was handed over to an inspector with the Anti-Vice Squad. A subsequent investigation confirmed that the man seen in the video footage was Veeramani.

Investigators stated that Veeramani had rented a residential property in Teynampet and entrusted its day-to-day management to Shanthi and Mahendra Simhan. The probe revealed that Veeramani allegedly brought several minor girls to the house in Teynampet and sexually assaulted them.

In addition to the POCSO case, the police have initiated an inquiry into the death of a minor girl who allegedly ended her life in 2003. The matter came to light after investigators discovered a message sent by Shanthi to prime accused Veeramani, which reportedly stated that a child had ended her life because of him.

Following the discovery of this message, Chennai City Police Commissioner A. Amalraj constituted a special team to conduct an in-depth investigation into the circumstances surrounding the minor girl's death in 2003.