Madras HC warns media against trial in Veeramani case

The Madras High Court said on Friday, 9 October 2026, that the media cannot hold a trial in cases such as the child sexual assault case against R. Veeramani, chairman of Gem Granites, because the rights of victims and the accused must be protected. Justice V. Lakshminarayanan was hearing a petition by Tulir Charitable Trust seeking action to stop television channels and digital platforms from publishing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

The judge said a child who has suffered trauma cannot be made to relive it, and questioned the legality of a media trial, asking if it would prejudice the trial judge if TV channels compared Veeramani to Jeffrey Epstein. Senior counsel Hrishikesh Barua, representing Republic TV, argued the media only conducted a debate on why a closure report was filed. The court adjourned the hearing to 15 October.