Reporter TV MD Anto Augustine in Excise custody for 24 hours in Kerala liquor case
Synopsis
Reporter TV MD Anto Augustine is now in Excise custody for 24 hours after a Wayanad court rejected his bail — and the case goes beyond liquor: he is simultaneously at the centre of an SIT probe into alleged financial irregularities linked to a proposed Lionel Messi-Argentina match in Kerala, and a separate tax inquiry. Three investigations, one media chief.
Key Takeaways
Anto Augustine , MD of Reporter Broadcasting Corporation , was handed to Kerala Excise Department custody for 24 hours on 19 September 2026 by a Wayanad court.
Around 67 litres of liquor and wine were reportedly recovered from his ancestral house in Vazhavatta, Wayanad ; a case has been filed under the Kerala Abkari Act .
Both the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, Sulthan Bathery and the Kerala High Court rejected his bail; the High Court matter is listed for hearing on Tuesday .
A separate SIT is probing alleged financial irregularities linked to a proposed Lionel Messi and Argentina team visit to Kerala; documents were seized from Reporter TV offices.
A third, tax-related inquiry into Reporter Broadcasting Corporation is also under way, authorities confirmed.
Augustine has denied the liquor allegations and says he cooperated fully with SIT investigators.
Anto Augustine, Managing Director of Reporter Broadcasting Corporation, was handed over to the Kerala Excise Department for 24 hours on Saturday, 19 September 2026 by a court in Wayanad, enabling further interrogation in connection with a liquor seizure case. Augustine had been in judicial custody since his arrest earlier in the week.
Background to the Custody Transfer
The order came a day after the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Sulthan Bathery rejected Augustine's bail application. The Kerala High Court had also declined to grant him interim bail on Friday, posting the matter for a further hearing on Tuesday. The successive rejections signal that courts have so far found no immediate grounds to release him pending the ongoing inquiry.
The Liquor Seizure That Triggered the Arrest
Excise officials conducted a search at Augustine's ancestral house in Vazhavatta, Wayanad on Wednesday, reportedly recovering around 67 litres of liquor and wine. According to the department, the stock included foreign-made liquor, wine, and other alcoholic beverages allegedly not authorised for sale in India.
A case has been registered under Sections 55(a), 55(i) and 58 of the Kerala Abkari Act, which deal with alleged illegal possession and handling of liquor. An Excise team led by Assistant Commissioner Baiju reached the Reporter TV office in Kalamassery at around 2.30 a.m. on Thursday and arrested Augustine, who was subsequently taken to Wayanad and produced before the Bathery court. The court remanded him to 14 days of judicial custody.
Link to Messi-Argentina SIT Probe
Notably, Augustine's arrest followed closely on the heels of searches by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing alleged financial irregularities linked to a proposed visit by football star Lionel Messi and the Argentina national team to Kerala. The SIT conducted searches at the offices of Reporter Broadcasting Corporation and at premises associated with Augustine and his brothers in Kochi and Wayanad, seizing documents and records, including material related to Kaloor Stadium.
Authorities have clarified that the police investigation into the proposed football event is a separate matter from the Excise case. A third, tax-related inquiry has also reportedly raised questions over alleged financial irregularities involving Reporter Broadcasting Corporation.
Augustine's Position
Augustine has denied the liquor-related allegations and maintained that he cooperated fully with the SIT investigation, providing all documents sought by investigators. Following the 24-hour custodial interrogation, he is expected to be produced before the court once again.
The convergence of three separate investigations — the Excise case, the SIT financial probe, and the tax inquiry — around Augustine and his media organisation marks an unusually complex legal situation for a prominent Kerala media figure, with further developments expected at Tuesday's High Court hearing.
Point of View
Raising legitimate questions about coordination between agencies, even as authorities insist the probes are independent. For Kerala's media ecosystem, the arrest of a prominent channel MD on Abkari Act charges — however the case ultimately resolves — sets a precedent that will be watched closely. The bail rejections suggest courts are not treating this as a routine possession matter; the 24-hour custodial interrogation indicates investigators believe there is more to extract.
NationPress
19 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Anto Augustine arrested in Kerala?
Anto Augustine, MD of Reporter Broadcasting Corporation, was arrested by the Kerala Excise Department after around 67 litres of liquor and wine were reportedly recovered from his ancestral house in Vazhavatta, Wayanad. A case was registered against him under Sections 55(a), 55(i), and 58 of the Kerala Abkari Act, which deal with alleged illegal possession and handling of liquor.
What is the Excise custody order about?
A Wayanad court handed Augustine over to the Excise Department for 24 hours on 19 September 2026 to allow further interrogation. He had been in judicial custody since his arrest in the early hours of Thursday; both the Sulthan Bathery magistrate court and the Kerala High Court had rejected his bail applications.
How is the Lionel Messi-Argentina SIT probe connected to this case?
A Special Investigation Team probing alleged financial irregularities linked to a proposed Lionel Messi and Argentina national team visit to Kerala conducted searches at Reporter TV's offices and premises associated with Augustine around the same time as the Excise arrest. Authorities have clarified that the SIT financial probe and the Excise liquor case are legally separate investigations.
What is the current status of Anto Augustine's bail?
As of 19 September 2026, both the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Sulthan Bathery and the Kerala High Court have declined to grant Augustine bail. The High Court has listed the matter for further hearing on Tuesday.
What happens after the 24-hour Excise custody?
After the 24-hour custodial interrogation period, Augustine is expected to be produced before the court again. The next significant legal development is the Kerala High Court hearing on Tuesday, which will determine whether he can secure interim bail.
