It was a double whammy for the DMK on 3 June, which happens to be the birthday of its patriarch, M. Karunanidhi. As part of an annual online campaign, the hashtag #HBDFatherOfCorruption began trending on social media from the evening of 2 June, ahead of Karunanidhi’s birthday. This year, activists went a step further by coining a new sobriquet: #HBD_Thirudarkula_Thilagame—“Crown Jewel of the Thieves’ Clan”—a sarcastic compliment. One sample post, linked below, showcases the slew of scams involving Karunanidhi during his tenure:
ஊழல் சாம்ராஜ்யத்தின் ஒட்டுமொத்த உருவமே!!!
ஊழல் உள்ளவரை உன் பெயர் என்றும் நிலைத்திருக்கும்!!#HBDFatherOfCorruption pic.twitter.com/p2T6stZN40
— AIADMK IT WING (@AIADMKITWINGOFL) June 3, 2025
On 2 June, the Chennai-based Mahila Court Judge M. Rajalakshmi, in a 276-page verdict, pronounced the quantum of sentence for Anna University student rape accused Gnanasekaran: life imprisonment without any remission. In short, the DMK or any other government cannot grant him remission on account of a birth anniversary. He must undergo 30 years in jail. Earlier last week, the court found him guilty on 11 charges.
The judge noted, “There are 37 cases pending against Gnanasekaran.” In the Anna University rape case, she imposed jail terms ranging from one month to life imprisonment and a total fine of Rs90,000. She further stated, “As per the deposition of the telephone company, no phone calls were either received or dialled from the two mobile numbers of the accused between 6:29 PM and 8:25 PM on 23 December 2024… it has been proved by the prosecution that the accused used the word ‘Sir’ to make the victim believe he was a university staff member and not to threaten her into cooperating with his sexual advances… no other person except the accused, according to the evidence available, is either directly or indirectly involved in the crime.”
The then state BJP chief, K. Annamalai—who was instrumental in pushing the DMK government to arrest and prosecute the accused within 162 days—warned that he would wait until the court or the SIT (formed by the High Court) probed the “Sir” angle and analysed call data records (CDRs) from the mobile service provider to identify whom the accused contacted and other such details.
As promised, on 3 June—Karunanidhi’s birthday, while the DMK was in a celebratory mood—Annamalai addressed a press conference and gave the government 24 hours to act. Otherwise, he warned, he would disclose CDR details, names of police officials, ministers, party functionaries, and expose why the SIT failed to investigate the “Sir” angle.
In a video statement with English subtitles, Annamalai demanded that TN Minister Ma. Subramanian and DMK’s 120th Ward Circle Secretary Kottur Shanmugam be questioned for their alleged role in the crime.
Gnanasekaran had reportedly spoken to both Kottur Shanmugam and Ma. Subramanian. Why was this not probed by the SIT?
#JUSTIN || வழக்கில் மா.சு. விசாரிக்கப்பட வேண்டும் – அண்ணாமலை | #Annamalai | #BJP | #TNPolice | #MaSubramanian | #DMK | #AnnaUniversityCase | #AnnaUniversity | #PolimerNews pic.twitter.com/xUBvuv4I4K
— Polimer News (@polimernews) June 3, 2025
Why did the SIT fail to question them before filing the charge sheet? Annamalai, providing a timeline, said, “On the morning of the 24th, Gnanasekaran phoned the SHO.”
அண்ணா பல்கலைக்கழக மாணவி பாலியல் வன்கொடுமை விவகாரத்தில் நீதிமன்ற தீர்ப்பு மற்றும் அது தொடர்பான சில முக்கிய விவரங்கள் குறித்து மக்கள் நலனுக்காக பாடுபடும் அரசியல் தலைவராக மட்டுமல்லாமல், மதிநுட்பம் வாய்ந்த காவல்துறை அதிகாரியாகவும் திரு.@annamalai_k அண்ணன் அவர்கள் வெளிப்படுத்தி… https://t.co/P567LYxwA9
— Dr.SG Suryah (@SuryahSG) June 3, 2025
Annamalai remarked, “It is commendable that the Mahila Court has sentenced DMK functionary Gnanasekaran to 30 years of imprisonment in the sexual assault case involving an Anna University student. #SaveOurGirls_NotYourSir. However, many unanswered questions related to this case still remain. Whom is this DMK government trying to protect? Some answers, many questions! #AnnaUniversity #CDR.”
அண்ணா பல்கலைக்கழக மாணவி மீதான பாலியல் தாக்குதல் வழக்கில், திமுக நிர்வாகி ஞானசேகரனுக்கு, மாண்புமிகு சென்னை உயர்நீதிமன்றம் 30 ஆண்டுகள் சிறைத் தண்டனை விதித்திருப்பது வரவேற்கத்தக்கது. #SaveOurGirls_NotYourSir
எனினும், இந்த வழக்கு தொடர்பான பல விடை தெரியாத கேள்விகள், இன்னமும்… pic.twitter.com/kcL24p1ev8
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) June 3, 2025
He continued, “On 24 December 2024—just a day after the alleged crime—Gnanasekaran’s mobile phone came out of flight mode at 8:52 PM. By 8:55 PM, he had dialled a police officer of Inspector rank. Just minutes later, at 9:01 PM, the officer called him back. Why would the first person he calls after committing a crime be a police officer? What did they discuss?” Annamalai asked, adding that such interactions raise serious questions about possible police involvement or negligence.
யார் அந்த சார் ?! https://t.co/K56Ed45aEB
— Ashvathaman Allimuthu (@asuvathaman) June 3, 2025
Annamalai further stated that the CBCID had filed a second FIR against Gnanasekaran on 16 May for another alleged offence, but claimed this was kept under wraps. “What is the status of the 16 May case? Why was it hidden from the public?”
He also pointed out that police officers had threatened the victim not to pursue the FIR and warned her of dire consequences, including expulsion from the university. “Why was he taken to the police station and then released? Was it to delete videos, tamper with call records, or destroy other evidence? Why did Kottur Shanmugam contact a senior state police officer on 24 December—first at 8:59 PM and again at 9:07 PM? Why did such communication occur so soon after the alleged crime? Why did the accused and a key DMK figure contact a top police officer immediately after the incident? What did they discuss?”
மாணவியை திமுக ஞானசேகரன் சீரழித்தான்…
திமுக போலீஸ் "FIR வேண்டாம் வாழ்க்கை போயிடும்" என பெண்ணை மிரட்டியது…
அவனை கைது செய்துவிட்டு ஒரு நாள் மட்டும் வெளியில் விட்டனர்…
அவன் தடயத்தை அழித்தான்…
யாரை காப்பாற்ற தடயத்தை அழித்தான்.?🤧#SaveOurGirls_NotYourSir #Annamalai pic.twitter.com/fSKqPdP7b6
— Sanghi Prince 🚩 (@SanghiPrince) June 3, 2025
Annamalai added, “One of the charges filed by the SIT against Gnanasekaran includes tampering with evidence. The very next day, on 25 December, the police claimed that the CCTV cameras at Anna University were not functioning. What happened to the phone records? Were any files or data deleted?”
Opposition leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami posted on X: “The probe was expedited to protect the ‘Sir’. Who is the ‘Sir’ mentioned in the FIR? Why was the involvement of the ‘Sir’ ruled out during the trial? Why did the DMK government rush to close the case by stating that only Gnanasekaran is guilty? Who saved the ‘Sir’? Once the AIADMK comes to power, we will provide answers to all these questions.”
தமிழ் இசை ரசிகர்களின் உயிரோடும் உணர்வோடும் கலந்திட்ட இசையின் உச்சமான இசைஞானி திரு. @ilaiyaraaja அவர்களுக்கு இதயங்கனிந்த பிறந்தநாள் வாழ்த்துகள்.
“அன்னக்கிளி உன்னை தேடுது” என்று ஆரம்பித்து, “தினம் தினமும் உன் நினைப்பு” வரை தொடரும் உங்கள் இசை மெட்டுகள், மென்மேலும் தமிழ் மக்களின்…
— Edappadi K Palaniswami-SayYEStoWomenSafety&AIADMK (@EPSTamilNadu) June 2, 2025
CM Stalin, in response, posted on X: “Even the court has appreciated that the police did a tremendous job investigating the case. But the Opposition parties are still trying to politicise the matter.”
