K. Nithyanandhan

K. Nithyanandhan, now 54 years old and a graduate, is one of the most controversial figures in recent Tamil Nadu politics due to his central role in the 2019 Pollachi sexual assault case. He first entered electoral politics by contesting the 2016 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections from Pollachi constituency as a Karnataka Munnetra Kazhagam (KMDK) candidate, an ally of AIADMK. He received only 7,722 votes (4.58%) and lost to the AIADMK candidate. At the time, he was associated with the AIADMK's student wing. In February 2019, Nithyanandhan's political trajectory took a devastating turn when he was named as one of the accused in a high-profile sexual harassment and extortion case that shocked Tamil Nadu. The case involved a gang that allegedly sexually assaulted and blackmailed dozens of women over a two-year period (2016-2018). An FIR was lodged against him and others, and due to the case's complexity and political implications, it was handed over to the CBI for investigation. Nithyanandhan was arrested on March 10, 2019, and remanded to judicial custody, though he was later released on bail. The case triggered massive protests across the state and led to significant political backlash against the AIADMK government for allegedly shielding the accused. He was subsequently expelled from AIADMK. In May 2025, a Coimbatore court sentenced Nithyanandhan and eight others to life imprisonment under Sections 376D and 376(2)(n) of the Indian Penal Code. The court also directed the Tamil Nadu government to compensate the survivors with Rs. 110 lakh each, reflecting the gravity of the crimes. Currently, he declares assets worth Rs. 170 crores in his affidavit while listing his profession as 'Agricultural & Business,' though there is no publicly available information explaining the source of such substantial wealth. His criminal cases are listed as zero in the affidavit, despite the conviction. Voters should be aware that there is a critical discrepancy between the affidavit data and documented public records. While the candidate declares no criminal cases, credible news sources and court records confirm his conviction and life imprisonment sentence in one of Tamil Nadu's most notorious sexual assault cases. His political career effectively ended following the 2019 scandal, and there is no evidence of any developmental work or public service since then.