Chennai, Apr 16: The Madras High Court today directed the Tamil Nadu government to provide adequate protection for R Gopal, Editor of the Tamil bi-weekly magazine Nakeeran, who was arrested on April 11 and charged with sedition and under the Arms Act for possessing an unlicensed revolver. The interim direction was given by Justice K P Sivasubramaniam on a petition filed by S Ramanathan, father of Gopal, after the State Advocate General, N R Chandran assured the court that adequate protection would be provided to the journalist. The state was equally anxious about Gopal's life, Chandran had said.

Gopal was today brought under the Anti-Terrorist Act. Seeking adequate protection for his son, the petitioner also sought a direction from the police not to interfere with Gopal's journalistic functions in any manner.

He alleged that the Crime Branch CID, the investigating agency, had threatened to stop the publication. The case was registered against Gopal after an unlicenced revolver and a pamphlet in support of the outlawed Tamil Nadu Liberation Army was allegedly found on his person when he was searched by the police.
Bureau Report