'No connection with Gnanasekaran': Ma Subramanian rejects Annamalai’s allegations
The minister clarified that he has never spoken to Gnanasekaran over the phone and dismissed claims of any personal or political association with him
Tamil Nadu Health and Family Welfare Minister Ma Subramanian has categorically denied any connection with Gnanasekaran, the convicted accused in the Anna University sexual assault case, refuting allegations made by former BJP Tamil Nadu president K Annamalai.
In a detailed response, the minister clarified that he has never spoken to Gnanasekaran over the phone and dismissed claims of any personal or political association with the accused.
Annamalai, in a video statement released on June 3, alleged a cover-up in the investigation of the Anna University sexual assault case, pointing to call detail records (CDRs) that purportedly showed communication between Gnanasekaran, a local DMK functionary named Kottur Shanmugam, and Minister Subramanian.
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He claimed that Shanmugam contacted the minister after Gnanasekaran’s brief release from police custody on December 24, 2024, raising questions about potential political interference and evidence tampering. Annamalai further highlighted a photograph of Gnanasekaran with Subramanian and other DMK leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, to suggest a link between the accused and the ruling party.
Context of photo
Addressing these allegations, Minister Subramanian clarified the context of the photograph cited by Annamalai.
“During the heavy rainfall and flooding in Chennai, Kottur Shanmugam, a local DMK ward secretary, provided tiffen to those involved in relief work, including me,” the minister said. “At that time, Gnanasekaran, who was present at the location, took a photograph with me while I was eating. Beyond this incidental encounter, there is absolutely no connection between me and Gnanasekaran.”
Also Read: Chennai court sentences Anna University sex assault convict to life term
He emphasised that he has never had any direct communication with the accused, stating, “Not once has Gnanasekaran spoken to me over the phone.”
Swift conviction
The minister’s response comes amid heightened political tensions following the Madras High Court’s sentencing of Gnanasekaran, a 37-year-old biryani vendor from Kotturpuram, to 30 years of rigorous imprisonment on June 2, 2025, for the sexual assault of a second-year engineering student at Anna University on December 23, 2024.
Also Read: Anna University rape case: Day after verdict, Annamalai alleges foul-play
The swift conviction, completed within five months, was praised by Chief Minister MK Stalin, who credited the state’s efficient investigation. However, opposition parties, including the BJP and AIADMK, have raised concerns about alleged lapses in the probe, with Annamalai demanding an investigation into call records and the role of police and DMK functionaries.
Sole accused
Public Prosecutor Mary Jeyanthi, addressing the case on June 2, 2025, clarified that Gnanasekaran was the sole accused, with forensic evidence confirming his phone was in flight mode during the crime. She dismissed claims of additional suspects as speculative and warned that such assertions could amount to contempt of court.
The controversy has also reignited discussions about Gnanasekaran’s alleged ties to the DMK. While Annamalai claimed the accused was a DMK functionary, Tamil Nadu Law Minister S Regupathy previously clarified on December 26, 2024, that Gnanasekaran was not a party member, refuting claims of him holding a position in the DMK’s student wing.
Also Read: Anna University case: CM Stalin lauds police for swift action
Chief Minister Stalin also described Gnanasekaran as a mere sympathiser, not an official member, and emphasised the government’s swift action in arresting him within six hours of the complaint.