No Bail For Accused In Alleged Sex Assault Case Linked To Tamil Nadu Granite Baron

Chennai: A Chennai POCSO Special Court has rejected the bail pleas of Shanti and her husband Mahendra Simhan, who were arrested in connection with the alleged child sexual abuse case involving granite baron and Gem Granites proprietor R Veeramani.The couple was arrested on August 28 along with Veeramani's aide Ganeshan. The police have alleged that they facilitated and abetted the alleged sexual abuse at a house rented by Veeramani.Opposing their bail, the police alleged that Shanti had received Rs 24.63 crore from Veeramani for destroying evidence connected with the case. The police further alleged that Rs 2 crore of this amount was transferred to Mahendra Simhan.The prosecution told the court that electronic devices seized in connection with the alleged financial transactions were yet to undergo forensic examination and the alleged survivors are yet to be identified.The police opposed bail, arguing that releasing the couple could enable them to influence witnesses and threaten the alleged survivors and their families. The prosecution also cited the possibility of them fleeing abroad.Defence Questions ArrestDuring the hearing before Special Judge S Padma, the defence argued that the arrests had not been carried out properly and that the accused were not produced before the court within 24 hours.The defence also argued that the police had already taken the couple into custody and completed their questioning, and therefore there has no further need to keep them in judicial custody.Urging the court not to grant bail at this stage, the prosecution argued that the investigation was still at an initial stage and the accused could be taken into police custody for interrogation during the statutory period of up to 40 days.In its order, Judge Padma held that the case was still at the initial stage of investigation and that bail could not be granted at this point. The court consequently dismissed the bail petitions of both Shanti and Mahendra Simhan.Political Controversy The handling of the case has triggered a political blame game. The dispute has centred on the delay between the registration of the police case and the arrests. The TVK has questioned why arrests were not made earlier, while the DMK has rejected allegations that its government protected Veeramani. Former Chief Minister MK Stalin has said that maximum punishment should follow irrespective of the position or influence of anyone found guilty.Both the DMK and AIADMK have alleged that the TVK government too attempted to close the case, but the Special Court refused to accept the police closure report. Had the court accepted the closure report, the matter would have ended there, they argued.The TVK government has rejected the allegations and maintained that the investigation is being pursued without fear or favour. The case has also brought senior police officers under scrutiny.Then Chennai Police Commissioner Arun and IPS officer Dr Kannan have been placed under compulsory wait amid questions surrounding the earlier handling of the case.A Special Investigation Team was subsequently formed to investigate the case and related allegations. The SIT began its investigation on September 25 and is scheduled to submit its first report on October 1.The BackgroundThe case had its origins in an FIR registered by the Chennai police on October 7, 2025, after a purported video involving a minor was brought to the police's attention. The investigation later came under scrutiny after the police initially sought to close the case. The Special Court refused to accept the closure report and ordered further investigation.A former employee, Ganeshan, was also arrested. The police alleged that he had access to a video linked to the case but did not report it.Investigators have since said the probe has identified alleged survivors and their statements have been recorded before a magistrate. The police have also been examining the role of the accused and the circumstances surrounding the alleged offences at the house rented by Veeramani.High Court Turns Down CBI Probe RequestThe bail order comes amid a separate development - the Madras High Court today refusing to transfer the investigation to the CBI.Justice V Lakshminarayanan, hearing a petition seeking a CBI probe, said the SIT should be given an opportunity to investigate the case, noting that it had started its probe only on September 25.The petitioners had alleged lapses in the earlier investigation and sought probe into allegations involving police officers and alleged financial transactions.The High Court observed that the SIT had been investigating for only a few days and questioned the basis for seeking a transfer of investigation. The court also said that if the petitioner has evidence relating to the case, it could be handed over to the SIT.The High Court has posted the matter for further hearing on October 7, while the SIT is expected to submit its first report on October 1.