Anto Augustine arrested in liquor case as Messi-Kerala probe intensifies
Synopsis
Reporter TV Managing Director Anto Augustine was arrested by Kerala's Excise Department for illegal liquor possession — but the bigger story is the parallel SIT probe into alleged financial fraud around a planned Messi-Argentina football event. A 20-hour search, $6,300 in foreign currency, seized documents and a non-bailable arrest: Kerala's media-and-money scandal just entered a new phase.
Key Takeaways
Anto Augustine , Managing Director of Reporter TV , was arrested by the Kerala Excise Department on 17 September 2026 .
Excise officials seized 43 litres of foreign liquor, 7 litres of foreign wine, and 13 litres of homemade wine from his ancestral house in Vazhavatta, Wayanad .
A separate SIT probe is investigating alleged cheating and financial irregularities linked to the proposed Lionel Messi and Argentina visit to Kerala .
The nearly 20-hour SIT search yielded documents, memory cards, Kaloor stadium records, and $6,300 in foreign currency.
Augustine will be produced before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Sulthan Bathery ; the Excise case carries non-bailable provisions under the Abkari Act .
Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala confirmed the SIT was constituted on the basis of a Sports Secretary report and stated the Home Minister does not intervene in its operations.
Reporter TV Managing Director Anto Augustine was formally arrested by the Kerala Excise Department on Thursday, 17 September 2026, in connection with the possession of liquor beyond the permissible limit — as a separate Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into alleged financial irregularities surrounding the proposed visit of Lionel Messi and the Argentina football team to Kerala gathered significant momentum.
The Excise team, led by Assistant Commissioner Baiju, reached the Reporter TV office in Kalamassery, Kochi in the early hours of Thursday and took Augustine into custody following a medical examination. He is being transported to Wayanad — a journey expected to take several hours — to be produced before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Sulthan Bathery.
What Was Seized
The arrest followed the seizure of a substantial quantity of alcohol from Augustine's ancestral house at Vazhavatta, Wayanad during an SIT search on Wednesday. Excise officials recovered 43 litres of foreign liquor, 7 litres of foreign wine, and 13 litres of homemade wine, in addition to liquor bottles not authorised for sale in India. The Excise case invokes non-bailable provisions under the Abkari Act.
Tense Arrest at Reporter TV Office
The arrest proceeded only after a charged exchange at the Reporter TV premises. After the Excise team read out the seizure mahazar, Augustine demanded to see the First Information Report (FIR) before submitting to arrest. Officials initially produced a digital copy, which Augustine refused to accept. Perumbavoor Excise Circle Inspector Manoj Kumar subsequently arrived with a physical copy, following which the arrest was formally recorded.
The Wider SIT Investigation
The liquor arrest unfolded in the wake of a nearly 20-hour search by the SIT at the Reporter Broadcasting Company office and properties linked to its owners across Kochi and Wayanad. The SIT, led by Thrikkakara ACP Bijoy Chandran, commenced operations around 6 am on Wednesday and concluded at approximately 2.30 am on Thursday. Investigators seized several documents, memory cards, records relating to Kaloor stadium, and $6,300 in foreign currency. The flats of Augustine and his brothers at Chembumukku and the office of marketing company GOTAD — which investigators reportedly suspect has links with Augustine — were also searched under court warrants.
The SIT investigation is focused on alleged cheating and financial irregularities linked to the proposed Messi-Argentina event, distinct from the Excise case. According to officials, the SIT chief is expected to provide further details on evidence collected.
What the Government Said
State Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, who returned from the United States, stated at the Cochin airport that the SIT headed by ADGP P. Vijayan was constituted on the basis of a report submitted by the Sports Secretary, handed to him by Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan.
'The SIT is doing its job according to law. It has acted only in accordance with the prevailing laws. The Home Minister does not intervene,' Chennithala told reporters. He added: 'They had a search warrant and proceeded accordingly. What happened during the past one decade is known to everyone. Why did you not see that then? Many media personnel were under duress. We are making it very clear that if anything wrong has been done, it will be looked into.'
With the SIT expected to brief the public on evidence gathered and Augustine set to appear before a magistrate, the investigation into Kerala's most high-profile financial controversy of the year is now firmly in the courts' hands.
Point of View
But the real exposure for Anto Augustine is the SIT investigation into the Messi-Argentina episode — a case that touches media ownership, public funds, and political accountability simultaneously. The Home Minister's pointed remark — 'What happened during the past one decade is known to everyone' — signals that the probe has a political dimension extending well beyond stadium bookings. Kerala's media landscape, already under scrutiny, faces a credibility test: how a broadcaster's managing director ends up at the centre of a state-level financial investigation raises hard questions about oversight. Whether the courts find substance in the SIT's seized evidence will determine if this is a genuine accountability moment or a pressure campaign.
NationPress
17 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Anto Augustine arrested?
Anto Augustine was arrested by the Kerala Excise Department on 17 September 2026 for possessing liquor beyond the permissible limit under the Abkari Act. Excise officials had seized 43 litres of foreign liquor, 7 litres of foreign wine, and 13 litres of homemade wine from his ancestral house in Vazhavatta, Wayanad during an SIT search the previous day.
What is the Messi-Kerala financial irregularities case?
The case involves alleged cheating and financial irregularities linked to the proposed visit of Lionel Messi and the Argentina football team to Kerala. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by ADGP P. Vijayan was constituted by the state government following a report by the Sports Secretary to investigate the episode, which includes scrutiny of records related to Kaloor stadium.
What did the SIT find during its search of Reporter TV premises?
During a nearly 20-hour search of the Reporter Broadcasting Company office and related premises in Kochi and Wayanad, the SIT seized documents, memory cards, records pertaining to Kaloor stadium, and $6,300 in foreign currency. The search also covered the flats of Augustine and his brothers at Chembumukku and the office of marketing company GOTAD.
Where will Anto Augustine be produced in court?
Augustine is being transported to Wayanad and will be produced before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Sulthan Bathery. The Excise case against him carries non-bailable provisions under the Abkari Act.
What did Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala say about the investigation?
Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, speaking at Cochin airport after returning from the US, said the SIT was formed on the basis of a Sports Secretary report handed to him by Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan. He stated the Home Minister does not intervene in the SIT's work and warned that any action found contrary to law would be examined.
