Palaniswami accuses Vijay government of shielding 'Gem' Veeramani in POCSO case

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Saturday accused Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay of misrepresenting the facts surrounding the arrest of industrialist R. Veeramani of Gem Granites under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Campaigning in the Madurantakam (SC) Assembly constituency for his party's nominee, Kanitha Sampath, Mr. Palaniswami questioned why the TVK-led government had delayed the industrialist's arrest, which he said was ultimately carried out only on the insistence of a special court. He pointed out that the arrest followed repeated adjournments sought by a government pleader and the filing of a "further action dropped" report.

The AIADMK leader alleged that two TVK Ministers had shared a stage with Veeramani at a function, with one of them describing the industrialist as a "family friend." He contended that the present regime was shielding the accused, and said it was the first instance of a government blaming another party while telling an "utter lie" to gain public sympathy.

Mr. Palaniswami said the stand taken by State secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) P. Shanmugam on the matter was similar. He also criticised the Chief Minister for "acting in real life too" and not merely in feature films.

The AIADMK leader, who campaigned in Ramapuram, L. Endathur and Elappakkam in the constituency where a bypoll is scheduled, listed instances of crime, including murders and violence against women, since the TVK-led government assumed office.