Tamil Nadu BJP calls for CBI probe into sexual assault case

Tamil Nadu BJP spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy has called on the state government to transfer to the Central Bureau of Investigation a sexual assault investigation involving Gem Granites executive Veeramani. In a social media post on Wednesday, Thirupathy said Deputy Commissioner Geethanjali had asked to recuse herself from the Special Investigation Team handling the case. He said the officer cited her previous involvement in the investigation while serving in the Central Crime Branch.

According to Thirupathy, that earlier investigation was conducted under the supervision of Arun, who was then Chennai police commissioner. The BJP spokesperson said the officer’s request created a need for an independent inquiry into the case. He argued that the possibility that senior police officials may have influenced or prematurely ended the earlier investigation meant the matter should be handed to the CBI.

Thirupathy urged the Tamil Nadu government to immediately request a CBI inquiry. The call was made by the opposition party spokesperson and represented his assessment of the case. The source material did not include a response from the Tamil Nadu government, the Special Investigation Team, the police officials named in the statement or Veeramani.

It also did not provide details of the alleged sexual assault, the stage of the investigation or the specific circumstances surrounding Geethanjali’s request to leave the team. The immediate issue raised by the BJP is whether the state-level investigation should continue under the existing team or be transferred to a central agency. No decision by the government on the proposed transfer was reported.