R Veeramani was hauled into a Special POCSO court in Madurai on Wednesday, holding a walking stick and flanked by armed officers. The judge, after reviewing the survivor’s complaint, remanded him for 14 days in judicial custody, citing the gravity of the fresh allegations.
The case traces back to an October 7, 2025 FIR lodged by Chennai police following a video that allegedly showed a minor girl in distress. The original arrest in August 2023 had already placed Veeramani in custody on charges of sexual abuse of minors, a move that the ruling TVK government defended as a decisive action against a local crime boss.
In addition to Veeramani, his aide Ganeshan and three former drivers—Lazar, Parthiban, and Babu—were detained as part of the wider probe, bringing the total number of arrests to seven. The Special Court in Chennai also rejected bail petitions for Shanti and her husband Mahendra Simhan, who are accused of facilitating the abuse at a rented house.
The arrest has ignited a political firestorm: the TVK leadership blames the former DMK government for failing to act on the 2025 FIR, while the DMK counters that the TVK tried to close the case prematurely. Congress activist Ranjan Kumar alleges that police ignored stronger evidence from an earlier video, suggesting a possible cover‑up involving large money transfers.
All‑women Special Investigation Team members will now scrutinize the police handling of the case, and senior officers including Chennai Police Commissioner Arun and IPS officer Dr. Kannan are placed under compulsory wait. The investigation continues as the court prepares for the next hearing, scheduled for early next month.