SIT examines ADGP Arun and other IPS officers in Veeramani case

The Special Investigation Team (SIT), constituted to probe allegations of sexual abuse of minor girls by Gem Granites owner R. Veeramani, has examined at least three senior IPS officers, including the former Greater Chennai Police Commissioner A. Arun, police sources said.

The investigators recorded the statements of Mr. Arun, who is in the rank of ADGP, and Inspectors-General of Police N. Kannan and A. Radhika, who were then serving as the Additional Commissioner of Police, South, and the Additional Commissioner of Police, Central Crime Branch, respectively, the sources said.

Earlier, the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee’s Scheduled Caste department president, M.P. Ranjan Kumar, said he had submitted a complaint to Mr. Kannan on November 22, 2024, accusing Veeramani and his associate Shanthi of exploiting minor girls, and seeking action against the two. Mr. Ranjan Kumar alleged that no FIR was registered on his complaint.

Mr. Arun and Mr. Kannan were recently placed on compulsory wait by the Tamil Nadu government.

Money trail being probed

Meanwhile, police teams are probing the money trail of some suspects in the case amid reports that there could have been a huge exchange of money to favour the accused persons in the cases filed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

While steps were taken to freeze the bank account of N. Prakash, one of the suspects, which had about ₹20 crore, the police are looking at the possibility of cash transactions, expensive gifts, and investments in real estate.

The source of funds in Mr. Prakash’s bank account could not be ascertained as he was absconding. Efforts were being made to trace him, the sources said.

In another development, the Greater Chennai Police registered a seventh case under the POCSO Act against Veeramani on a complaint filed by a girl that she was sexually abused by him when she was a minor.