Editor of a Tamil magazine was arrested following a complaint from a close associate of Union Fertilisers Minister M K Alagiri alleging that a defamatory article was published against him and the minister.

A S Mani, Editor of Naveena Netrikan, was arrested and remanded to judicial custody by a court in Madurai on Monday.

The complainant, Suresh, had alleged that Mani had published a defamatory article against him and Alagiri, the elder son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.

The article alleged that Suresh has a final say in awarding government contracts and postings of police and revenue officials in southern districts of Tamil Nadu. Successful bidders allegedly had to hand over a percentage as commission before receiving the contracts.

This is the second time an editor has been held on similar grounds in Tamil Nadu, where the government appears to be arresting journalists to pressurise the media for unfavourable reports, according to editors who are outraged by the arrest.