Anna University sexual assault case: Court sentences sole convict to life imprisonment

Chennai: In a significant verdict that brings closure to one of Tamil Nadu’s most disturbing sexual assault cases, the Chennai Mahila Court on Monday sentenced A. Gnanasekaran to life imprisonment, mandating a minimum of 30 years in prison without the possibility of remission.

The convict was also fined Rs 90,000.

It may be recalled that Gnanasekaran, a biriyani vendor who worked as a temporary staffer at the Centre for Women Empowerment in Anna University, was arrested in December 2024 following a complaint from a woman student.

The incident sparked outrage across the state, prompting protests from student bodies and women’s rights organisations demanding swift and stern action.

On May 28, the Mahila Court found Gnanasekaran guilty.

The prosecution, led by the government counsel, submitted strong documentary and forensic evidence, including CCTV footage and call records.

The court held that the prosecution had established the case beyond a reasonable doubt. Judge Rajalakshmi, presiding over the trial, had reserved the sentencing for June 2 after declaring the accused guilty of all 11 charges framed against him.

The prosecution had pressed for the “maximum punishment”, considering the gravity of the offence and its impact on the victim and society.

The incident came to light on December 23, 2024, when the survivor lodged a complaint at the All Women Police Station in Kotturpuram, Chennai.

She alleged that Gnanasekaran had approached and threatened her while she was with a male friend at night and then sexually assaulted her.

Following public uproar and concerns over procedural lapses, the Madras High Court transferred the investigation to a Special Investigation Team (SIT), which also probed the leak of the initial FIR.

The SIT filed a detailed charge sheet in February 2025 before a magistrate, and the case was later shifted to the Mahila Court on March 7 for trial.

Charges were framed under several provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), including Sections 329 (criminal trespass), 126(2) (wrongful restraint), 87 (abduction of a woman), and 64(1) (rape).

He was also booked under Section 66 of the IT Act and Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Women Harassment Act.

The verdict has been widely welcomed as a stern message against crimes targeting women and the misuse of institutional spaces.

IANS