R.R. Gopal, editor and publisher of Tamil weekly Nakkheeran was arrested by the city police at Chennai airport on Tuesday morning on charges of allegedly publishing defamatory content against Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit.
As Mr. Gopal was about to leave to Pune from Chennai airport on Tuesday morning, two Deputy Commissioners and eight police Inspectors forcibly bundled him into a police vehicle and whisked away from the airport.
Initial reports suggest that the action follows a complaint that he had published stories linking the office of the Governor with lecturer Nirmala Devi who was arrested recently for enticing college girls for favours in Virudhunagar and that he was arrested on charges of sedition, inciting violence and spreading misinformation.
Asked about the nature of complaint and provisions of law, a top police official said it cannot be shared immediately.
It is not clear though, who had raised the complaint.
Mr. Gopal has been brought to Chintadripet police station for interrogation. He is likely to be produced before a Metropolitan Magistrate Court and remanded shortly.
According to police sources, he is likely to be taken into custody in two different cases in Triplicane and Ambattur.