Police conduct searches at five places linked to Gem Granites chairman Veeramani
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A view of the GEM Granites office on Cathedral Road in Chennai. | Photo Credit: RAGU R
Central Crime Branch (CCB) sleuths on Wednesday conducted searches at five places linked to Gem Granites chairman R. Veeramani, who was arrested in a case involving allegations of sexual assault of minor girls. The searches included two bungalows belonging to Veeramani.
The police have also issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) against Prakash, son of a railway union leader, as part of the probe into financial transactions allegedly carried out by Veeramani and his associates after the case was registered in October last year.
Sources said the searches, which began in the morning, were conducted at five premises linked to Veeramani, including his office on Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai and a guest house in Teynampet. A team of around 30 personnel, along with officials from the Anti-Vice Squad, took part in the searches.
The case was registered by the CCB on October 7, 2025, after an anonymous person handed over a pen drive and a cover containing material allegedly linked to the offences. During the investigation, police identified the elderly man seen in one of the videos as Veeramani.
According to police, Veeramani had rented a house in Teynampet and entrusted its management to Shanthi and her husband, Mahendra Simhan, who have been accused of abetting the offences. Investigators alleged that Veeramani brought several minor girls to a bedroom in the house and sexually assaulted them. Police seized one of the videos allegedly containing the acts as evidence.
Subsequent searches at the residences of the accused and their offices led to the seizure of further material, including photographs of several other minor girls and women, police said. Veeramani and his alleged accomplices, Shanthi and Mahendra Simhan, were arrested and remanded in judicial custody on August 29.
The investigation was subsequently intensified, and police identified nine victims who were allegedly sexually assaulted by Veeramani at premises linked to him.
Investigators are also examining allegations that large sums of money were transferred by Veeramani and his associates to certain persons to facilitate their escape from the case or arrest. The police are scrutinising the financial trail and property transactions involving Veeramani and his associates. A property transaction involving around βΉ70 crore is among those being examined.
Sources said the LOC against Prakash was issued at airports across the country after a police team went to his residence to serve him a summons and was informed that he had travelled abroad. Investigators are examining his alleged role in financial transactions connected with the case.
On Tuesday, police arrested Ganesan, a former Gem Granites employee who had worked with the company for 23 years, after allegedly finding a video linked to the case on his mobile phone. Investigators are questioning him to ascertain how and from whom he received the video and why he did not report it to the police.
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