Anna University Sexual Assault Case: The Mahila Court in Chennai has sentenced A Gnanasekaran to life imprisonment and ordered that he must serve 30 years in jail without remission, meaning that he cannot be released early. The court also imposed a Rs 90,000 fine on him in the Anna University sexual assault case.
On May 28, the court found him guilty on all counts, including rape, as it accepted a Madras High Court-appointed all-women Special Investigation Team’s (SIT) report, but reserved its judgment for June 2.
Anna University Sexual Assault Case
Gnanasekaran, 37, was initially arrested by Tamil Nadu Police in December 2024 for allegedly sexually assaulting a 19-year-old Anna University student after trespassing on the campus. He was later released and re-arrested after public outrage. Many claimed that Gnanasekaran had close ties to the ruling DMK. In response, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin clarified that Gnanasekaran is a supporter of his party and not a member, as many claimed.
According to the student’s complaint filed on December 23, 2024, at the All Women Police Station (AWPS) in Kotturpuram, Gnanasekaran raped her and filmed the assault on his mobile phone. She also alleged that he threatened to release the video. The incident reportedly occurred while the student was with a friend.
The case drew further attention when the FIR was downloaded from the Tamil Nadu Police’s CCTNS website and circulated widely on social media. On December 26, following the leak of the victim’s identity, the Madras High Court stepped in and ordered the formation of an all-women Special Investigation Team (SIT) to handle the probe.
The SIT completed its investigation on February 24, submitting a 100-page charge sheet to the jurisdictional magistrate. On March 7, the case was transferred to the Mahila Court, which formally framed charges against Gnanasekaran under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Section 66 of the Information Technology Act, and Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Women Harassment Act.