Justice Rajalakshmi of the Chennai Mahila Court found the accused Gnanasekaran guilty and will pronounce the judgement on 2 June.
Published May 28, 2025 | 11:30 AM ⚊ Updated May 28, 2025 | 11:30 AM
Anna University.
Synopsis: The Chennai Mahila Court found the accused in the Anna University sexual harassment case guilty. A total of 11 charges against Gnanasekaran were proven in court.
Within just five months after a female engineering student was sexually harassed inside the Anna University campus in Chennai, a trial court on Wednesday, 28 May, pronounced the accused guilty.
On 23 December 2024, the female student was sexually harassed by an unidentified man. Following the incident, the survivor complained to the Kotturpuram All-Women Police Station in Chennai, which led to the registration of a case and subsequent investigation.
Justice Rajalakshmi of the Chennai Mahila Court found the accused Gnanasekaran guilty and will pronounce the judgement on 2 June.
Anna University, located in Guindy, Chennai, is one of the premier engineering institutions in Tamil Nadu, with thousands of students enrolled in various disciplines. The campus includes hostels for male and female students.
Following the sexual harassment, the Kotturpuram All-Women Police Station registered a case under six sections of the Bhratiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Using CCTV footage and other investigative methods, the police arrested Gnanasekaran, a biryani shop owner from Kotturpuram. The survivor identified him as the perpetrator, and a formal investigation began. The trial has been ongoing for the past five months.
During this period, controversy erupted after the FIR, containing the survivor’s personal details, was leaked online. This sparked protests from several organisations and political parties.
Opposition parties, including AIADMK and BJP, accused the ruling DMK of trying to shield the accused, alleging that Gnanasekaran had links to the DMK. The government formed a special inquiry team consisting of three women IPS officers to investigate the matter.
During the final hearing, Gnanasekaran pleaded for leniency, stating that he was raised by a single mother, his father was absent, and his mother was in poor health. He also mentioned that he had a young daughter studying in Class 8 and requested a minimum sentence and the unfreezing of his bank account.
However, Special Public Prosecutor Mary Jayanthi argued for the maximum punishment, stating that Gnanasekaran should not be shown any mercy. The police also strongly opposed any leniency.
Justice Rajalakshmi questioned whether the charges under which he was convicted allowed for life imprisonment without sentence reduction.
A total of 11 charges against Gnanasekaran were proven in court. Following this, Justice Rajalakshmi declared Gnanasekaran guilty and announced that the sentencing details would be pronounced on 2 June 2025.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
