Chennai : Nakkeeran Gopal, veteran journalist and editor of Tamil bi-weekly, was arrested from Chennai airport on Tuesday following a complaint from state governor Banwarilal Purohit against the journalist for his write up linking governor’s office to an alleged scandal in a university.

Nakkeeran was picked up from Chennai airport when he was on his way to Pune to attend a function.

Police officials confirmed his arrest.

Nakeeran had published several reports on a university scandal. DMK president MK Stalin came to the aid of the arrested journalist in a tweet saying “Arrest of Editor Nakkeeran Gopal for publishing a series of reports on the university scandal is a brazen threat from the fascist BJP government and a puppet AIADMK govt in the state.”

Reports of Nakkeeran had cited visits of a professor, Nirmala Devi, to Raj Bhavan. She is an assistant professor of Devanga Arts College in Aruppukottai in Virudhunagar district. She was arrested in April when her voice in an audio clip asking girls to submit for sexual favours to officials for money and marks.

Governor Purohit had firmly denied all accusations at a press conference in Chennai soon after. He asserted that he had never seen the face of the lady in question and rubbished demands for his resignation from the opposition.

“I do not know the lady, I have never met the lady. I am surrounded by so many people always and it is not possible for anyone to meet me without my permission,” Purohit told the media in the third week of April.