Chennai: A Special Court sentenced 37-year-old Gnanasekaran, a DMK sympathizer, to rigorous life imprisonment with a minimum term of 30 years in the sensational state-owned Anna University sexual assault case.
After months of hearing arguments from both the sides, the court concluded the proceedings on May 23, 2025.
On May 28, the court found Gnanasekaran guilty of the crime while adjourning the sentence to 2 June.
Awarding the quantum of punishment, the court handed a life sentence to Gnanasekaran, specifying that it should be no less than 30 years of rigorous imprisonment--a rare and stern punishment that underscores the gravity of the offense.
In addition, the court also imposed a fine of Rs 90,000 on the convict.
The Judge said that no remission, parole, or other legal concessions should be granted to Gnanasekaran during this sentence.
However, the court allowed that the period he has already spent in judicial custody since his arrest in December 2023 could be counted toward his sentence.
The case had sparked national outrage due to the heinous nature of the crime and the vulnerability of the victim involved.
The shocking incident took place on December 23, 2023, in the iconic Anna University campus in Chennai.
A second year engineering student was conversing with a fellow male student when an unknown man approached them. He reportedly threatened the duo, assaulted the male student, and chased him away. He then sexually assaulted the young woman on campus grounds.
This horrific act that took place in the premises of one of Tamil Nadu’s premier educational institutions, triggered widespread condemnation and protests across the country, demanding swift justice.
Following the victim’s complaint, the Kotturpuram All Women Police Station registered a case and launched an intensive investigation. The accused, Gnanasekaran, who was running a biriyani shop outside the campus, was arrested the next day.
The probe was transferred to SIT comprising three women IPS officers. After a detailed probe and filing of the chargesheet, the court convicted the accused and awarded life term.
