Anna University Harassment Case: Tamil Nadu Mahila court sentences Gnanasekaran to life term without remission

NEW DELHI: A Mahila Court here on Monday awarded life sentence for a minimum period of 30 years without remission to the accused Gnanasekaran, who has been convicted for sexually harassing a student on the Anna University campus in December last year. Mahila Court judge M Rajalakshmi, who convicted Gnanasekaran on May 28, awarded sentences in respect of each 11 charges proved by the prosecution against him.

The sentences run concurrently, the judge added. While convicting the accused, the court held that the prosecution proved the the sexual assault case that rocked Tamil Nadu in December 2024, beyond reasonable doubt. The government counsel then told reporters that the prosecution filed 11 charges against Gnanasekaran and proved all of them using documentary and forensic evidence.

The judge, while convicting Gnanasekaran, said that he sought a lenient sentence claiming he was the sole bread-winner of the family and prosecution objected to it and sought maximum punishment. The sensational case had triggered a political row over Gnanasekaran's alleged connections with the ruling DMK in the state, although the party president and Chief Minister M K Stalin had in January said he was only a sympathiser and supporter, and not a member of the Dravidian party.

Allegations include threat, harassment

The case came to light after the victim lodged a complaint before the All Women Police Station in Kotturpuram here on December 23 last year. In her complaint, the victim alleged that Gnanasekaran threatened her when she was with a male friend and then sexually harassed her. Gnanasekaran was later arrested. The FIR of the case was downloaded from the CCTNS website of Tamil Nadu police and broadcast by certain sections of the media which created a furore.

Later, the Madras High Court transferred the investigation of the case to a Special Investigation Team, which also probed the FIR leak . The SIT filed a charge sheet in February before a magistrate court. Thereafter, the case was transferred to the Mahila Court. The Mahila court framed charges against Gnanasekaran under sections various sections of the BNS, including sexual harassment , BNSS, IT Act and the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Women Harassment Act.