The police have arrested Omkar Balaji, son of Hindu Makkal Katchi leader Arjun Sampath, for allegedly issuing threats against journalist and editor of Nakkheeran magazine, Gopal.The controversy began when the Hindu Makkal Katchi staged a protest in front of the Coimbatore South Taluk office on October 27, accusing Gopal of spreading defamatory content about the Isha Yoga Center. During the protest, Omkar Balaji, who is also the party’s youth wing leader, reportedly made threatening remarks against the journalist.
Following this, Abdul Jalil, an auto driver and DMK member, filed a complaint with the Race Course police in Coimbatore. The police subsequently registered a case against Omkar Balaji under sections related to disrupting public peace and acting with criminal intent. Omkar Balaji was later called in for questioning by the authorities.
In an attempt to secure anticipatory bail, Omkar Balaji filed a petition with the Chennai High Court and appeared before the court for the hearing. However, after the hearing concluded, the Esplanade police arrested him within the High Court premises and handed him over to the Race Course police.