• Source:JND
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Anna University Sexual Assault Case: The Madras High Court on Friday criticised Chennai Police for disclosing the identity of the 19-year-old student who was sexually assaulted on the Anna University campus earlier this week. A Vacation Bench, consisting of Justice SM Subramaniam and Justice V Lakshminarayan, questioned how the First Information Report (FIR) of the case was leaked to the public. 

The court further expressed concern for the victim’s family, questioning who would be held accountable for the emotional distress they are enduring due to this breach of privacy.

The Madras High Court expressed concern that the police's leak of the victim's identity would discourage others from reporting crimes. The court emphasised that such lapses could make parents hesitant to approach the police. It also criticised the failure to redact identity details in the FIR and demanded an explanation from the authorities. The court adjourned the hearing to Saturday, urging a response by the following morning, stressing that the harm caused to the victim and her family could not be undone.

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Court Urges Students To Share Information

“The parents of all students will be afraid now to approach the police. We are concerned about that too and we want to request all students to come forward and tell us if they know anything more," the bench said, as reported by Bar and Bench. 

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On December 25, Chennai Police arrested Gnanasekaran, a roadside biryani vendor, for allegedly sexually assaulting an Anna University student on December 23. The victim filed a complaint with the police and the university's Internal Complaints Committee. During a court hearing, the judges questioned the Commissioner of Police for claiming that only one person was involved in the case, despite the investigation still being ongoing.