Chennai, October 9: Journalist RR Gopal was released by the local court in Chennai hours after his weekly magazine Nakkheeran published a "defamatory article" against Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit.

Gopal was held by the police earlier in the day, after receiving a complaint from the Raj Bhawan. The article, cited as the basis of the complaint, claimed that an assistant female professor held in the "sex-for-marks scam" had met the Governor. Tamil Nadu College Sex Scandal: CB-CID Moves HC for Voice Test on Woman Teacher Allegedly Involved in Racket.

While the police had sought Gopal's judicial custody, the court denied the plea. However, the charges of defamation would be probed against him.

Reacting to the court order, Gopal said it is a victory for the truth. "It’s a slap on Raj Bhavan. It’s also for the spineless Tamil Nadu government which acted upon the governor’s wish. The court has judged well," the Nakkheeran editor told news agency ANI.

Meanwhile, the Chennai police officers while speaking to media said the article was offensive and defamatory.

The alleged sex-for-marks scam has turned into a major political issue in Tamil Nadu, with the state government being accused by the Opposition of shielding the "influential people" involved.

Gopal's article, which sparked a sharp reaction from the Raj Bhawan, quoted a police official to claim that the accused professor Nirmala Devi had met Purohit.

"The claim is baseless. The article has been published with malafide intentions," an official of the Raj Bhawan told reporters.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 09, 2018 07:36 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).