INS condemns Nakeeran Gopal's arrest, seeks Prez help

Indian Newspaper Society (INS) On Wednesday “strongly” condemned the arrest of R Gopal, editor and publisher of Nakeeran Magazine, in Tamil Nadu and appealed to President Ram Nath Kovind to “urgently” intervene in the matter.

It also demanded the immediate withdrawal of the case against Gopal and his colleagues.

“His arrest under Section 124 of the IPC (Indian Penal Code) was totally unwarranted, and prima facie an abuse of the process of law. The decision of the Government of Tamil Nadu to invoke this Section militates against the authority granted to it under the law,” INS president Jayant Mammen Mathew said in a statement.

The Constitutional authorities must exercise “restraint and respect” the freedom of the Press, he said.

“The society appeals to the President of India to intervene urgently in this matter to reign in gubernatorial excess. It also demands the immediate withdrawal of the case against Gopal and his colleagues,” the INS said.