Madras High Court Initiates Suo Motu Proceedings in Anna University Sexual Assault Case
Authored By Kiran Raj
The Madras High Court took suo motu cognizance of an alleged sexual assault involving a 19-year-old student on the campus of Anna University (College of Engineering) in Chennai. The incident, reported to have occurred on December 23, 2024, has raised serious concerns over campus security and law enforcement efficacy.
A vacation bench comprising Justice SM Subramaniam and Justice V Lakshminarayanan directed the Tamil Nadu government to provide a detailed report on the incident and the progress of the investigation. The Court set a deadline of 2:15 PM the same day for submission. The suo motu proceedings were initiated following a letter addressed to the Court by Advocate R. Varalakshmi, who expressed concerns about the prevailing law and order situation in the State and the safety of students in Chennai. The advocate urged the Court to intervene to ensure justice and address systemic lapses.
According to the complainant, the incident took place on December 23, when she was allegedly sexually assaulted on the premises of Anna University. Following the incident, the complainant filed a formal complaint with the Chennai police and also approached the University’s Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) for Prevention of Sexual Harassment, as mandated under law.
The Chennai police acted swiftly and arrested the accused, identified as Gnanasekaran, a roadside biryani vendor, on December 25. Investigators are probing the circumstances surrounding the incident, including how the accused gained access to the university campus and whether lapses in security contributed to the occurrence.
During the hearing, the High Court expressed its concerns over the safety measures on educational campuses and the adequacy of the response mechanisms to incidents of this nature. The bench stated that the protection of students, especially within the confines of educational institutions, is paramount and must be ensured through rigorous enforcement of safety protocols and immediate legal redressal in cases of breach.
The Tamil Nadu government is expected to address several questions in its report, including the measures currently in place for campus security at Anna University and steps being taken to prevent such incidents in the future. The Court has indicated that it will closely monitor the case to ensure accountability and justice for the victim.
Further developments are expected as the High Court evaluates the government's report and the progress of the police investigation.
