# Chennai police identify survivor in Veeramani POCSO case, SC/ST Act invoked

2026-09-17T07:57:12+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 3 independent outlets

Chennai Police have identified the survivor in the POCSO case against granite baron R Veeramani and recorded her statement before a Judicial Magistrate. The survivor, a minor at the time of the alleged abuse in 2019, confirmed her identity and identified Veeramani in the video that triggered the case. Provisions of the SC/ST Act have been added since she belongs to a Scheduled Caste community. Police say Veeramani allegedly abused multiple minor girls from poor backgrounds over several years at locations including his home, office and a guest house. His associates Shanti and Mahendra Simhan were arrested on charges of evidence tampering. The police had earlier sought to close the case, but a special POCSO court rejected the closure report and ordered further investigation, leading to the arrests in August 2026. The police are now preparing to file a chargesheet.

## Indian Opinion Analysis

The Hindu and The News Minute report the police had earlier tried to close the case, a detail Hindustan Times omits entirely. The News Minute is the most explicit about the ten-month gap between the complaint and the arrest, and provides the most procedural detail about the court rejecting the closure report. Hindustan Times leads with multiple survivors and the SC/ST Act, framing the investigation as broader than the original single victim. All three outlets rely on police sources, no independent corroboration is offered. The key shift is the court's refusal to accept the closure report, which forced the police to act. The chargesheet filing and the identification of further survivors will define the next phase.

## Coverage

- thehindu.com (neutral report) <https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/breakthrough-in-pocso-act-case-against-granite-baron-veeramani-after-police-identify-survivor/article71473642.ece>
  Front-loads police breakthrough and victim identification, includes police attempt to close case
- thenewsminute.com (government critical) <https://www.thenewsminute.com/tamil-nadu/veeramani-pocso-case-survivor-identified-cops-probe-more-alleged-victims-and-locations>
  Leads with identification but emphasises delay and court rejection of closure report
- hindustantimes.com (neutral report) <https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/multiple-survivors-identified-in-pocso-case-against-granite-baron-sc-st-act-invoked-101789708827202.html>
  Leads with multiple survivors and SC/ST Act, omits closure report attempt

Tags: Chennai Police, POCSO Act, R Veeramani, SC/ST Act
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