CHENNAI: The Chennai Mahila Court on Wednesday will pronounce its verdict in the December 23 rape of a student on Anna University campus. A Gnanasekaran (37), a biryani vendor, is the sole accused in the case.
The case came to light on Christmas day last year after the survivor lodged a complaint (on December 24) at the Kotturpuram All Women Police Station (AWPS) alleging that Gnanasekaran threatened her when she was with a male friend and then raped her after threatening them.
Police sources said that Gnanasekaran had recorded the act on his mobile phone as well. He was later arrested by Greater Chennai Police and sent to prison.
The FIR of the case was downloaded from the CCTNS website of Tamil Nadu police and broadcast by certain sections of the media which created a furore.
Later the Madras High Court transferred the investigation into the case to an all-women Special Investigation Team (SIT), which also probed the FIR ‘leak’.
The SIT filed a charge sheet in the last week of February before a magistrate court.
The case was later transferred to the Mahila court which framed charges against Gnanasekaran under sections 329, 126(2), 87, 127(2), 75(2) read with 75(i), (ii), (iii), 76, 64(1), 351(3), 238(b) of BNS and BNSS, Section 66 of the IT Act and Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Women Harassment Act. Gnanasekaran pleaded not guilty. These pertain to rape, sexual harassment, wrongful confinement, abduction of a woman and criminal trespass.