On June 2, 2025, a Sessions Court in Chennai sentenced A. Gnanasekaran to life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum of 30 years for the sexual assault of a second-year engineering student at Anna University. In addition to the prison term, he was fined ₹90,000.

The incident occurred on December 23, 2024, when Gnanasekaran, who operated a biryani stall near the university, allegedly recorded a video of the victim and her male friend on campus. He then assaulted the friend, who fled, and subsequently sexually assaulted the student. The case raised significant concerns about campus security.

Gnanasekaran was convicted under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including those related to rape and sexual harassment, as well as under Section 66E of the Information Technology Act and Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Woman Act.

The Tamil Nadu High Court took suo motu cognizance of the case, criticizing the police for lapses, including the leak of the FIR, which caused additional trauma to the victim. The court directed the state to pay an interim compensation of ₹25 lakh to the victim, recoverable from those responsible for the dereliction of duty. However, this order was later stayed by the Supreme Court.

This verdict underscores the judiciary’s firm stance on crimes against women and highlights the importance of institutional accountability in such grievous offenses.

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