CHENNAI: Tense moments prevailed at the Chennai airport as V Archana (49), daughter of Pocso accused businessman R Veeramani, was de-boarded from a Singapore-bound flight on Friday afternoon and detained by the police.
She was quizzed by the SIT probing the sexual offence cases against her father and let go after questioning late in the evening. After the inquiry, Archana complained of ill health and was taken to a private hospital in the city.
Though the police had not issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) against her, she had been under their watch for some time, a police official said.
They had initially advised Veeramani’s family not to leave the country while the probe was under way.
However, on Friday, Archana arrived at the Chennai airport and boarded a flight scheduled to take off around 2.30 pm. Based on a tip-off, the SIT reached the spot and alerted airport officials. The team de-boarded her, the police said.
A police official told TNIE that they suspected Archana might have knowledge of financial transactions linked to the case. They were also trying to ascertain whether she knew about her father’s alleged sexual offences, and if she had withheld the information from the police.
“We did not get any evidence that could lead to her arrest. So, she was let go after an inquiry,” the officer said.
Addressing media persons outside the Old Commissioner’s Office in Egmore where she was quizzed by the SIT, her advocate Vignesh said, “Before leaving for Singapore to visit her unwell son, Archana wrote to the SIT stating that she would be leaving on Friday and returning on Monday.”
Meanwhile, on Friday, a Pocso court granted the SIT two days’ custody of Veeramani and two of his associates. He will be questioned at the Puzhal police station which is close to the prison, the police said.
