A significant political dispute has erupted in Tamil Nadu as Minister R Nirmal Kumar challenges former DMK minister S Regupathy's claims about the validity of video evidence in a sensitive POCSO case involving industrialist R Veeramani.
Key Points
- Tamil Nadu Minister R Nirmal Kumar disputes former DMK minister S Regupathy's claim regarding "shadowy" video evidence in a high-profile POCSO case.
- Nirmal Kumar accuses the opposition DMK of attempting to protect the accused, granite industrialist R Veeramani, and cover up the crime.
- Police recently arrested Ganesan, a former employee, after a video of Veeramani with a minor girl was found on his mobile phone, leading to his judicial custody.
- Regupathy denies DMK links to Veeramani, defending the previous government's legal procedures and criticising the current administration's effectiveness and public disclosure of sensitive case details.
- The political clash underscores ongoing tensions and scrutiny over the handling of child protection cases in Tamil Nadu.
Tamil Nadu Minister R Nirmal Kumar on Tuesday disputed former DMK minister S Regupathy's claim that the video evidence in the POCSO case involving granite industrialist R Veeramani was "shadowy" and lacked probative value.
Flaying Regupathy over his comments, Nirmal Kumar accused the opposition DMK of attempting to protect the accused and cover up the crime.
Minister Nirmal Kumar Demands Transparency
Speaking to reporters here, the minister for Energy Resources and Law said the investigation into the sensitive case must be transparent, and all those involved should be held accountable, regardless of their influence.
He said the case involved multiple minor children and that the investigation had gained significant momentum under the current government following recent arrests. He asserted that there would be no political interference in the probe and that those responsible would not be spared.
Key Arrests in POCSO Investigation
Earlier in the day, the Central Crime Branch police arrested Ganesan, a former employee of Gem Granites, in connection with the POCSO case against Veeramani and his associates Shanthi and Mahendra Simhan, after a video showing Veeramani engaging in an obscene act with a minor girl was found on Ganesan's mobile phone.
Police said Ganesan had worked at Veeramani's firm for 23 years and was currently employed with Balaji Global Enterprises. During the investigation, police found a video involving a minor girl stored on his mobile phone.
"Ganesan was arrested for possessing the video and for not reporting its existence to the authorities," a police statement said. He was lodged in Puzhal Central Prison after being remanded to judicial custody.
Veeramani, 84, Shanthi and Mahendra Simhan were arrested on August 29 in a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and lodged in Puzhal Central Prison here following court orders.
DMK Accused of Shielding Influential Figures
Nirmal Kumar questioned how a former minister could conclude that the video evidence was "shadowy" and lacked probative value. He sought to know who had verified the video and on what basis Regupathy had made the claim publicly.
"Questioning the quality of evidence publicly indicated a deliberate effort to suppress the investigation and shield influential figures," Nirmal Kumar claimed.
He argued that if the evidence was unclear during the previous administration's tenure, the government should have sought an extension from the court to conduct a thorough probe instead of attempting to file a closure report.
Drawing parallels with past incidents, including a controversial case at Anna University, Nirmal Kumar alleged that the DMK had a history of misusing official machinery to close cases through informal settlements or "katta panchayats".
Regupathy Counters Allegations, Criticises Government
Regupathy, however, denied the allegations and asserted that his party had no links to GEM Granites or Veeramani. He defended the previous DMK government's actions as being fully compliant with legal procedure.
Regupathy said police had promptly registered an FIR after receiving a complaint in October 2025 and maintained that the investigation had been delayed only to secure robust legal evidence rather than rush to close the case.
Speaking to reporters here, Regupathy criticised the ruling TVK government, describing it as "ineffective and overly reliant on social media campaigns and public relations" rather than addressing core public concerns such as power outages and rising costs.
He questioned why the current administration had taken 25 days to act on specific legal complaints and asked whether the government was in a state of "coma" or engaged in improper deals.
Regupathy condemned the public disclosure of sensitive details in POCSO cases, warning that such disclosures could compromise investigations and allow perpetrators to escape justice.
