S. Gnanasekaran

S. Gnanasekaran, 33, is an Independent candidate from Thiruporur constituency in Tamil Nadu who declares himself as self-employed with graduate professional education. According to his affidavit, he has assets worth Rs. 18.5 lakhs with no immovable property and liabilities of Rs. 1 lakh, with zero criminal cases declared. However, web search results reveal a deeply troubling discrepancy: a person named Gnanasekaran from Thiruporur was convicted in January 2025 by a Mahila Court in Chennai for the December 2024 sexual assault of a 19-year-old female student on Anna University campus. The court found him guilty on all 11 charges including rape, sexual assault, intimidation, and kidnapping, sentencing him to life imprisonment with a minimum jail term of 30 years and a fine of Rs. 90,000. The case details reveal he was working as a biryani vendor and allegedly attacked the victim and her friend, filming the assault to blackmail her. Police investigations identified him as a repeat offender with a criminal record ('history-sheeter'). The case sparked significant political controversy, with opposition parties accusing the ruling DMK government of shielding him due to alleged party connections and questioning why a 'mystery man' mentioned in the FIR was not investigated. The stark contradiction between the affidavit's declaration of zero criminal cases and the web evidence of a life imprisonment conviction for heinous crimes raises serious questions about candidate verification processes. No information about legitimate political activities, constituency work, or public service was found in available sources. The complete absence of any positive political track record combined with the gravity of the criminal conviction makes this candidature deeply concerning. Voters should be aware that if this is indeed the same individual, they face a candidate currently serving life imprisonment for sexual assault rather than someone capable of representing their interests in the legislature. The discrepancy demands immediate clarification from election authorities.