Chennai: Chief minister M K Stalin appreciated the speedy probe into the Anna University sexual assault case, resulting in the conviction of the culprit. AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, however, said the investigation progressed only because of court intervention. In a social media post, Stalin thanked police and lawyers for expediting the case. “Our police have probed the case against the injustice meted out to the Chennai college student expeditiously and got justice in five months. I keep telling the police that there should be no crime at all. If crime happens, then no criminal should escape,” he said. Stalin said the TN police have shattered the intention of the opposition parties who were “trying to engage in petty politics through slander”.However, EPS criticized Stalin, accusing him of taking credit for the court verdict even though DMK attempted to cover up the investigation. He said the Madras high court set up a special investigation team because the state’s investigation was shoddy. “If such grave crimes occur, it is proof that you are a puppet chief minister who is incompetent in administration,” he said. EPS further alleged that the perpetrator of the crime was a supporter of the DMK and raised questions about the way the police handled the case.BJP state president Nainar Nagendran too said the convict Gnanasekaran was a ‘DMK cadre’ and alleged that the FIR in the case was ‘leaked.’ Nevertheless, the judgment has given confidence for women to fight perpetrators even if they have strong political backing, he said. Nainar appreciated the victim for remaining resolute even after the FIR was ‘leaked’.Rebutting the opposition criticism, DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi said unlike the Pollachi rape case which took six years, the Anna University rape case was completed in mere 157 days under DMK govt. DMK organizational secretary R S Bharathi too said the verdict was a victory for the DMK govt.