Man gets life term for Anna varsity student rape

A Mahila Court here on Monday awarded life sentence for a minimum period of 30 years without remission to accused Gnanasekaran, convicted for rape of a girl student on the Anna University campus in December last year.

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Mahila Court judge M Rajalakshmi, who convicted 37-year-old Gnanasekaran on May 28, also imposed a fine of Rs 90,000 on him.

The case had triggered a political row over Gnanasekaran’s alleged links to the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu, although party president and Chief Minister Stalin had said he was only a sympathiser and supporter, and not a member. Stalin said a stringent punishment had been secured.

While convicting the accused, the court held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. The judge said Gnanasekaran sought a lenient sentence claiming he was the sole bread-winner of the family and the prosecution objected to it and sought maximum punishment.