The convict must remain in prison for at least 30 years, said Judge M Rajalakshmi.
- A biryani vendor was sentenced to life in Anna University sexual assault case
- He has been fined Rs 90,000 and must remain in prison for at least 30 years
- He was earlier convicted on all 11 charges, including rape and kidnapping
Gnanasekaran, a biryani vendor convicted in the high-profile sexual assault case at the Anna University, has been sentenced to life imprisonment. He has also been fined Rs 90,000, a Mahila Court in Chennai read out the punishment for sexually assaulting a 19-year-old student last December.
The convict must remain in prison for at least 30 years, said Judge M Rajalakshmi.
The judge found Gnanasekaran guilty on all 11 charges last week, including sexual assault, rape, intimidation, and kidnapping. At least 29 witnesses testified in the case, and the police filed a 100-page chargesheet.
He had earlier pleaded for minimum punishment, citing his need to be at home to look after his elderly mother and eight-year-old daughter. But in view of his conviction on all the charges, he must get the maximum punishment, the judge had said.
On December 23, Gnanasekaran entered the university campus and attacked a friend of the teenager, and then sexually assaulted her. He had also filmed the act with an intention to blackmail her. He was arrested the same day.
Chief Minister MK Stalin welcomed the court's verdict and said that through their action, Tamil Nadu police have responded to those who do drama over women's safety.
The sexual assault case that found closure after five months of trial had also sparked a massive row in December.
Welcoming the conviction, Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami had raised that the convict had spoken to a certain "sir" during the sexual assault. The identity of this alleged person remains unknown, with the police saying he had only pretended to speak to someone, and no one else was involved.
During his questioning, the convict had also confessed to carrying out thefts at several houses in Chennai, sources had said, after over 100 sovereigns of gold and a luxury SUV were seized from him.
The probe also sparked concerns over the survivor's identity being revealed through the FIR that was easily accessible online. Indian law protects the identity of sexual assault survivors to prevent social stigma. The police had denied leaking the details and blamed the centrally administered police website for not restricting sensitive information.
Slamming the police investigation, the court had formed a women-only Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the sexual assault case as well as the alleged FIR leak. Calling the leak a serious lapse, it had directed the government to provide Rs 25 lakh as interim assistance to the survivor for the trauma.
The sexual assault case had given the opposition AIADMK a fresh arsenal to target the ruling DMK over women's safety and declining law and order in Tamil Nadu. The DMK had then vowed to fast-track the probe and ensure justice.
BJP state chief K Annamalai had flogged himself in public in a symbolic act over the incident, for what he had described as the deteriorating law and order situation. He had also announced a 48-day fast and a mega pilgrimage as part of his protest.
Mr Annamalai had also shared a photo of the convict with Chief Minister MK Stalin's son, Udhayanidhi Stalin, claiming that Gnanasekharan was a DMK member. The DMK had trashed the charge, with MK Stalin asserting he was just a supporter, not a member.
