John Pandian, Ranjan Kumar Exchange Allegations Over Gem Veeramani POCSO Case

Tamil Nadu People's Development Party leader John Pandian and Congress SC wing leader Ranjan Kumar have exchanged allegations in connection with the case involving Gem Veeramani, who was arrested under the POCSO Act in a case related to alleged sexual assault of minors.

In separate statements, both leaders have given different accounts regarding their involvement in the matter.

John Pandian alleged that his assistant Shanthi and Ranjan Kumar approached Gem Granite Veeramani in connection with a financial dispute. According to Pandian, a meeting was arranged at a hotel to discuss the matter. He claimed that during the meeting, a demand for ₹20 crore was made to Veeramani and said that he did not agree to such an arrangement.

Pandian also questioned why his name was being linked to the matter and said that he had no further involvement after the meeting.

Ranjan Kumar, however, gave a different account. He said that Shanthi had approached him alleging that John Pandian had threatened her and that he arranged a meeting in an attempt to resolve the issue.

Ranjan Kumar also said that he had submitted a complaint to the police along with video evidence and questioned why action was not taken on the complaint at that time. He said that he later came to know about the individuals involved in the dispute through the meeting and subsequently distanced himself from the matter.

The allegations made by the two leaders are disputed and should be treated as statements made by the respective parties. The competent authorities and courts will determine the facts and legal issues involved in the case.

The matter is linked to the ongoing legal proceedings concerning Gem Veeramani. No conclusion regarding the allegations exchanged between the political leaders can be drawn solely from their respective statements.