CHENNAI: In a significant development in the sexual assault case involving an Anna University student, the Madras High Court has set aside the order detaining the accused Gnanasekaran under the Goondas Act.
Gnanasekaran, a life convict in connection with the sexual assault of a student inside the Anna University campus in December last year, is facing several pending cases, including theft.
With Gnanasekaran’s arrest in the sexual assault case and multiple criminal cases pending against him, the Chennai City Police Commissioner had ordered his detention in prison under the Goondas Prevention Act.
Challenging this order of the Chennai Police Commissioner, Gnanasekaran's mother, Gengadevi, had filed a petition before the Madras High Court seeking to quash the detention order.
The petition came up for hearing before a Division Bench comprising Justices P Velmurugan and M Jothiraman.
During the hearing, Additional Public Prosecutor R Muniyapparaj submitted that Gnanasekaran had been detained under the Goondas Act based on the Anna University student sexual assault case, and noted that in the said case, he had been awarded life imprisonment without remission for a minimum period of 30 years. He further informed the court that as many as 29 cases, including theft cases, were pending against Gnanasekaran.
After hearing the submissions, the judges observed that since a sentence had already been imposed in the Anna University student sexual assault case, the detention order passed under the Goondas Act could not be sustained, and accordingly ordered that the detention be set aside.
Gnanasekaran, the sole accused, was found guilty of all charges, including rape, and was awarded a life sentence and a fine of Rs 90,000 on June 2, 2025.