In a landmark verdict that drew praise and political ire alike, a special women’s court in Chennai on Monday sentenced Gnanasekaran, a biryani vendor and known DMK supporter, to life imprisonment for the brutal sexual assault of a 19-year-old student at Anna University in Tamil Nadu. The case, which has ignited emotional public discourse since December, has now escalated into a full-blown political face-off between Tamil Nadu’s ruling DMK and opposition AIADMK. Gnanasekaran, found guilty on 11 charges including sexual assault, rape, kidnapping, and criminal intimidation, had earlier pleaded for leniency citing familial responsibilities. His appeal was rejected by the court, which instead endorsed the prosecution’s case and commended the Tamil Nadu Police for an “exceptional and expeditious” investigation concluded within five months. But the court’s ruling has not quieted the storm. 'Unanswered questions' Leader of the Opposition and AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) took to social media shortly after the verdict, raising what he called "unanswered questions" in the First Information Report (FIR), particularly the mention of a mysterious “Sir” the convict allegedly referenced during the assault. EPS accused the DMK government of shielding higher-ups. “Despite DMK’s attempts to protect their man, people’s voices—from the streets to social media—ensured justice,” EPS posted on X. “Yet, justice remains incomplete. Who is the 'Sir' mentioned in the FIR? Why was he left out of the probe?” அண்ணா பல்கலை. பாலியல் வழக்கின் குற்றவாளியான திமுக அனுதாபி ஞானசேகரனுக்கு ஆயுள் தண்டனை விதித்துள்ளது சென்னை மகளிர் நீதிமன்றம். இந்த வழக்கில் குற்றவாளி திமுக ஞானசேகரனைக் காப்பாற்ற எத்தனையோ சித்து வேலைகளை செய்தது ஸ்டாலின் மாடல் திமுக அரசு. அத்தனையும் முறியடித்து, மக்கள் மன்றம்… — Edappadi K Palaniswami-SayYEStoWomenSafety&AIADMK (@EPSTamilNadu) June 2, 2025 He concluded with a politically charged promise: “Once AIADMK returns to power, the truth about ‘Sir’ will come out.” Stalin responds Chief Minister MK Stalin responded swiftly and sharply, defending the state police’s handling of the case and accusing the Opposition of exploiting a young woman’s trauma for electoral mileage. “The High Court praised our fair and swift investigation,” Stalin said in a post on X. “The Women’s Court has commended the police. This verdict has silenced those who pretend to care about women’s safety but are in fact seeking political gain from a tragedy.” அண்ணா பல்கலை. பாலியல் வழக்கின் குற்றவாளியான திமுக அனுதாபி ஞானசேகரனுக்கு ஆயுள் தண்டனை விதித்துள்ளது சென்னை மகளிர் நீதிமன்றம். இந்த வழக்கில் குற்றவாளி திமுக ஞானசேகரனைக் காப்பாற்ற எத்தனையோ சித்து வேலைகளை செய்தது ஸ்டாலின் மாடல் திமுக அரசு. அத்தனையும் முறியடித்து, மக்கள் மன்றம்… — Edappadi K Palaniswami-SayYEStoWomenSafety&AIADMK (@EPSTamilNadu) June 2, 2025 The incident, which shook Tamil Nadu’s student community and led to days of protests at campuses across the state, took place on December 23. According to court documents, Gnanasekaran forcibly entered the Anna University campus, attacked a male friend of the rape survivor, then sexually assaulted and filmed the young woman, using the footage to later intimidate her. His conviction, while welcomed by women's rights advocates and student groups, has exposed deep political fissures in the state. While DMK leaders frame the ruling as proof of administrative competence and legal resolve, AIADMK insists that the most powerful player in the crime remains unnamed—and unpunished. The term “#WhoIsThatSir” has since trended on social media in Tamil Nadu.
