{
  "id": 8633597,
  "title": "‘Gem Granite’ Veeramani — a stone cold perpetrator",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/gem-granite-veeramani-a-stone-cold-perpetrator",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-20T07:08:09.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu",
    "slug": "the-hindu",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/a-stone-coldperpetrator-gem-granite-veeramani/article71485725.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "R. Veeramani, an 84-year-old Indian known as 'Gem Granite' Veeramani, was a prominent figure in the granite industry and a known philanthropist. Born a lawyer, he entered the natural stone business by chance and eventually built a multi-crore empire. However, recent investigations suggest a darker side to his life. A Special Court for POCSO Act cases has ordered further inquiries into allegations that Veeramani sexually assaulted minor girls, following a complaint filed by a child rights activist. The case, which originated in October 2025, began with a cover containing a message and a pen drive handed to the Inspector of the Immoral Traffic Prevention Unit (ITPU). The police found a video showing Veeramani hugging and sexually abusing a minor, but were unable to recover the original footage due to the passage of time. Despite admitting his involvement, Veeramani denied being the person in the video. Shanthi, a 55-year-old associate described as Veeramani's partner, also initially claimed she did not know the minor. However, a Special Court has reopened the case, leading to the arrest of Veeramani, Shanthi, and Mahendran Simhan, 60, on allegations of facilitating the sexual abuse of minors.",
  "summary": "‘Gem Granite’ Veeramani, an influential industrialist now finds himself at the centre of a widening investigation under the POCSO Act into the allegations of paedophilia. While he was under investigation from last year, a fresh probe, ordered by the court, led the police to recover additional digital evidence and identify multiple victims. This report examines what has been labelled the ‘Epstein…",
  "key_points": [
    "84-year-old Indian businessman Veeramani known as 'Gem Granite' Veeramani",
    "Allegations of sexual assault against minor girls by Veeramani",
    "Veeramani, Shanthi, and Mahendran Simhan arrested for facilitating abuse"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}