An envelope, a pen drive, a house that barred outsiders: What police initially found in Veeramani case

In February, Chennai police decided not to pursue a POCSO case against businessman R Veeramani due to a lack of evidence. The investigation began when a child rights worker received a mysterious envelope containing a pen drive. The drive allegedly contained footage of a man sexually assaulting a minor girl inside the bedroom of Veeramani's friend, Shanthi. Police registered a POCSO Act complaint and assigned it to the Anti-Vice Squad.

The investigation faced several obstacles, including the inability to locate the girl in the video and the non-retrieval of the original recording from the DVR. Shanthi claimed that the room in the video was not part of her house and refused to allow outsiders into her property. Attempts to find the messenger or the four former domestic workers who had worked at the property also failed. Veeramani and Shanthi were questioned, with Veeramani denying involvement and Shanthi claiming she did not know the girl in the video.

Despite these difficulties, police conducted a thorough inquiry and concluded there was no basis to continue the investigation. The case was officially closed on February 18, 2025, with the complainant being informed of the decision. Later, the girl was traced and identified Veeramani in a statement before a Judicial Magistrate. Veeramani, Shanthi, and her husband were subsequently arrested. The case remains an enigma, with the investigation revealing a complex web of unanswered questions and a dead end for the police.