Accused a DMK sympathiser, not party member, says Chief Minister Stalin on Anna University case

Cornered by the opposition in the Assembly over the sexual assault of a girl student by an intruder at the prestigious Anna University in the city on December last, Chief Minister MK Stalin on Wednesday vehemently denied that the accused, who has been arrested, was a member of the ruling DMK but was only a party sympathiser.

- STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE

Responding to a call attention motion, moved by the opposition and some of the allies of the DMK, the Chief Minister, also president of the DMK, admitted that the accused, Gnanasekaran (37), was a only sympathiser of the party but not a member. "He might have taken photographs with minister and politicians which is not a crime," he said and countered the opposition charge that the government was trying to shield the culprits, saying "There will be no leniency, whoever it might be, even if they are from the DMK, the police will take stringent action against the accused. Within 60 days, the chargesheet will be filed to get maximum punishment for the accused," he assured the House.