Police has arrested former Padang Serai MP N Gobalakrishnan over his claim that some state Indian police officers were backing notorious organised criminal group known as '04'.

George Town deputy OCPD Abdul Rahman Ahmad said Gobalakrishnan came to the Northeast Police headquarters at Jalan Pattani to give his statement at 3.30pm and have been detained since then.

Abdul Rahman was unable to provide information on the details of the arrest.

Asked under which law was he arrested, Abdul Rahman said "we are planning to remand him until tomorrow."

"Until then, this is all I can say," Abdul Rahman told Malaysiakini when contacted.

Earlier, Penang police chief Abdul Rahim Hanafi said Gobalakrishnan will be called to provide his statement on his claims at the Jalan Pattani police station.

Abdul Rahim said the police had only received one police report on Gobalakrishnan’s claims, and that he would be probed under Section 504 of the Penal Code for "intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of the peace".

Gobalakrishnan issued the claims on his twitter account last Friday, stating "Some Penang Indian police officers are strongly backing the 04 gang which deals with drugs".

Earlier, inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar posted a tweet denying the Gobalakrishnan's claims.