Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and TVK chief C Joseph Vijay sharpened his attack on the DMK and AIADMK over the POCSO case involving granite industrialist R Veeramani, alleging that complaints against him had been “buried” during the previous regime and asking former chief minister M K Stalin to explain what had happened. Campaigning for the October 6 Madurantakam Assembly bypoll, Vijay also alleged a broader understanding among the DMK, AIADMK and BJP and urged voters to back the TVK to keep all three parties out.
Veeramani, founder of Gem Granites, has been arrested along with others in a case involving alleged sexual offences against minor girls. The investigation remains under way, and Vijay’s claims of political collusion or deliberate suppression of the case have not been judicially established.
‘Stalin sir, open your mouth’
Without initially naming Veeramani, Vijay alleged that an industrialist had abused children for years and claimed that a complaint made during the previous DMK government had not been pursued properly. The Chief Minister questioned whether there had been an understanding between the then ruling party and others over the handling of the allegations.
“What was the deal? Tamil Nadu is asking. Stalin sir, open your mouth,” Vijay said. Turning his attack on the AIADMK as well, he alleged that the Opposition party was also remaining silent and asked whether there was “collusion even in this issue”.
The case was registered in October 2025 after a child-rights activist approached police with a pen drive containing footage purportedly showing the sexual assault of a minor. Police initially sought to close the case after saying they could not trace the girl allegedly seen in the footage and lacked sufficient evidence, but a Special POCSO Court rejected the closure report and directed further investigation.
The renewed investigation subsequently led to the arrest of Veeramani and others and the recovery of additional digital material, according to investigators. Police have since widened the probe to examine whether more minors were allegedly abused and whether other people facilitated the offences or concealed evidence.
Vijay renews ‘evil force’ attack
Vijay once again described the DMK as an “evil force” and contrasted it with what he called the TVK’s platform of “clean governance and pure force”. He accused the previous government of corruption and alleged that political interests had influenced the handling of sensitive cases, while the DMK has rejected accusations that its government sought to protect Veeramani.
Former chief minister Stalin has maintained that his government issued no instruction to shield anyone in the case and has said that Veeramani and anybody found to have assisted or protected him should face action under the law. The DMK has, in turn, accused the ruling TVK of politicising allegations involving minor girls for electoral purposes.
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami has called for an impartial investigation into the case and demanded action against anyone found to have helped conceal the alleged offences. He has said the investigation should proceed without social or political interference.
‘Cannot tolerate’ remarks against women
Vijay also hit out at the DMK over what he described as obscene and derogatory remarks directed at women. He said he had tolerated personal attacks, including comments involving his own mother, but would not remain silent when similar language was used against women across Tamil Nadu.
“When they spoke in an obscene manner about my sisters and mothers in Tamil Nadu, I could not accept it,” Vijay said. He accused both the DMK and the “DMK family” of encouraging such political discourse and said it “cannot be tolerated”.
Vijay also criticised what he described as the DMK’s sense of entitlement towards the state. A chief minister was a “servant of the people”, he said, accusing the Opposition party of behaving as though it “owns the state”.
Bypoll battle intensifies
Vijay was campaigning in Madurantakam for K Maragatham Kumaravel, who won the constituency on an AIADMK ticket in the 2026 Assembly elections before resigning as MLA and joining the ruling TVK. She has now been fielded by Vijay’s party for the October 6 by-election, making the contest one of the first electoral tests for the new government.
Appealing to voters to support the TVK’s whistle symbol, Vijay sought to frame the bypoll as a contest against the DMK, AIADMK and BJP. He also referred to his government’s decision to drop the Parandur airport project, saying the move was intended to protect farmers and waterbodies.
With the Veeramani investigation widening and the earlier handling of the case coming under scrutiny, it has now emerged as a major political issue ahead of the bypoll. Vijay has sought to put the previous DMK government on the defensive, while the DMK has denied shielding the accused and accused the ruling party of turning a sensitive criminal investigation into an electoral weapon.