A Chennai sessions court on Monday sentenced 37-year-old Gnanasekaran to life imprisonment for the brutal sexual assault of a 19-year-old Anna University student inside the campus in December 2024. The court ruled he must serve at least 30 years without remission, citing the gravity of the crime.
Judge M Rajalakshmi, who convicted him last Wednesday, pronounced the sentence after a swift five-month trial. The verdict came amid widespread protests and political sparring across Tamil Nadu.
According to the FIR, Gnanasekaran, a vendor near the university with a criminal history, sexually assaulted the student after blackmailing her with private video recordings. He had threatened to leak the footage and assaulted her friend before isolating her and committing the crime.
The court found Gnanasekaran guilty under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Information Technology Act, and Tamil Nadu’s Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act. He was transported from Puzhal Central Prison for sentencing.
Gnanasekaran, already convicted in six of 20 prior cases, also threatened the student post-assault by photographing her ID and demanding future meetings, failing which he would release the videos.
While the ruling DMK praised the “record-speed conviction,” opposition AIADMK and BJP escalated attacks over Gnanasekaran’s alleged DMK links. DMK’s RS Bharathi defended the state, saying the police arrested the accused within 24 hours, filed charges in 60 days, and delivered a conviction in five months.
Opposition leader Edappadi Palaniswami said AIADMK’s state-wide protests forced the fast-track trial, raising the “Who is that, sir?” slogan referencing the student’s police complaint where Gnanasekaran was allegedly pretending to take instructions from someone.
Chennai Police Commissioner A Arun later clarified that Gnanasekaran’s phone was on airplane mode and the “sir” reference was a ploy to intimidate.
BJP’s K Annamalai, who famously whipped himself six times in protest, accused police of leaking the student’s identity and cited photos of Gnanasekaran with DMK ministers as proof of deeper political links. DMK denied he was a member, calling him a mere supporter.
Following the assault, Anna University stepped up security, installing more CCTV cameras and increasing guard presence. A joint audit with city police was conducted to ensure student safety.
The Madras High Court took suo motu cognisance of the incident, directing the Tamil Nadu government to pay ₹25 lakh as compensation to the survivor and ordering Anna University to fund her education. It also formed an all-women Special Investigation Team to probe the assault comprehensively.
The case has become a flashpoint in Tamil Nadu’s politics, placing women’s safety, campus vigilance, and political accountability at the forefront.