Only one person involved in sexual assault on student: CoP

Chennai Police Commissioner S. Arun confirmed that the sexual assault case involving an Anna University student was committed by a single individual, with no involvement of others.

Addressing the media yesterday, Commissioner Arun stated, “Within 24 hours of receiving the complaint from the student regarding the sexual assault, we apprehended the accused.”

Investigations revealed that only one person was involved in the assault, with no connection to any other individuals.
The First Information Report (FIR) filed in connection with the case should not have been leaked. Information identifying victims in such cases must not be disclosed under any circumstances.

As per legal protocol, the FIR was recorded exactly as the complainant reported, without any modifications or edits.

The FIR was uploaded on the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS) platform and subsequently shared with the judiciary. The complainant also received a copy of the FIR.

The FIR, which briefly remained accessible, was allegedly downloaded during that time. It is suspected that either the complainant’s side or an external party may have disseminated it.
A new case has been registered at the Kotturpuram police station regarding the FIR leak, and strict legal action will be taken against anyone found sharing sensitive case documents.

The accused, Gnanasekaran, had set his mobile phone to airplane mode at the crime scene, raising suspicions of premeditated actions.

The use of the word “sir” in the FIR sparked doubts about the involvement of another individual. However, it was clarified that Gnanasekaran might have used the term to intimidate the victim.

Gnanasekaran has 20 prior cases, including housebreaking and theft, from 2013 to 2019. He has been acquitted in six of these cases. No previous charges of sexual offenses were found against him.

Anna University currently employs 142 private security guards and operates 70 CCTV cameras, of which 56 are functional. Police patrolling has been intensified within the university campus to enhance safety.

Commissioner Arun commended the victim for her courage in reporting the crime and urged victims of similar offenses to come forward without hesitation.

“The law will ensure strict action against the accused, and no delay should deter victims from filing complaints,” he added.