Chennai, May 28 (IANS) AIADMK General Secretary and former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Wednesday welcomed the Mahila Court’s swift verdict convicting Gnanasekaran in the high-profile Anna University sexual assault case.

However, he strongly criticised Chief Minister M.K. Stalin for attempting to claim credit for the judiciary’s action.

In a series of pointed posts on social media, Palaniswami asserted that the real credit for the conviction goes to the judiciary and the Madras High Court, which had directed the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) composed of women IPS officers to handle the sensitive case.

He accused Stalin of trying to politically capitalise on the judicial outcome.

“Justice has been delivered not because of the DMK government, but in spite of it,” Palaniswami wrote, adding that the judgment should not be used for political mileage.

“The Chief Minister’s self-congratulatory tone is misplaced,” he said.

The AIADMK leader further stated that several critical questions surrounding the case remain unanswered. Chief among them, he said, is why the convict Gnanasekaran was released immediately after his first arrest, only to be rearrested later.

“What transpired between his release and second arrest?” he asked.

Palaniswami also demanded clarity on why key figures, including a Minister and the Deputy Mayor, were never questioned during the probe.

He questioned the abrupt withdrawal of DSP Raghavendra Ravi from the SIT, a move that had raised eyebrows at the time.

“Why did the officer resign midway? What pressure was he under?” he asked.

Referring to the cryptic phrase reportedly used by the accused during the crime — “Who’s that sir?” — Palaniswami said this key clue remains shrouded in mystery.

“Who is that ‘sir’? The people deserve to know,” he said.

Meanwhile, AIADMK senior leader and coordinator of the party’s Workers’ Rights Retrieval Committee, O. Panneerselvam, praised the Mahila Court for delivering justice within five months.

He said the swift verdict has rekindled public confidence in the judicial system and could act as a deterrent against crimes targeting women.

The Anna University sexual assault case, which took place in December 2024, had sparked widespread outrage and intense political debate in Tamil Nadu.

The court has announced that sentencing for the convicted accused will be pronounced on June 2.

–IANS

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