COIMBATORE: Journalists on Friday staged a protest at the Coimbatore district collectorate against the arrest of a city-based news portal's publisher cum managing director.
They also opposed the unofficial detention of two journalists from the news portal by Coimbatore city police on Thursday.
Wearing face masks, journalists including television and newspapers reporters took part in the protest and condemned the police action against the news portal. They also asked the government to revoke the case and demanded the protection of press freedom.
On Thursday, Coimbatore City Police arrested the managing director of the online news media firm Andrew Sam Rajapandian (39) on charges of allegedly publishing content misleading the public.
He was booked under Sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 505 (i) (b) (statement conducing public mischief) of IPC and Section 3 of Epidemic Disease Act, 1897.
Based on a complaint by M Sundarrajan, Assistant Commissioner of Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC), he was arrested by RS Puram police on Thursday night and remanded at Avinashi sub-jail.
Earlier, two journalists of the online news portal were taken for investigation without any warrant and police made them sit at the station from Thursday morning and released them only in the night.
Opposition political parties and advocates' associations have condemned the arrest. Coimbatore MP PR Natarajan also condemned the arrest of the journalists.