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Kerala High Court Denies Anto Augustine Interim Bail

By Drooid · Sep 19, 2026, 10:24 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Anto Augustine Bail Denied

Kerala High Court denied interim bail to Anto Augustine, managing director of Reporter TV.
The Abkari Act case concerns liquor above legal limits seized at Augustine’s ancestral house in Wayanad.
Sulthan Bathery First Class Magistrate Court rejected Augustine’s bail and allowed only 24 hours of Excise custody.
Augustine remains in judicial custody until September 30, with his High Court bail hearing set for September 22.

Summary

Anto Augustine Evade Deposit

The FIR alleges Augustine conspired to evade a INR5 crore deposit for the stadium on September 26 2025.
Excise officials say seized liquor included foreign spirits, Indian-made foreign liquor, spurious liquor, and defence alcohol.
A special team will chemically test the spurious liquor seized from Augustine’s home.
The SIT confiscated digital gadgets, documents and foreign currency during raids at five sites in Ernakulam and Wayanad.

History

Historical Context

In July 1981, illicit liquor in Bangalore killed about 308 people, prompting calls for stricter enforcement. The 1998 Kerala spurious-liquor tragedy, which claimed 31 lives, led the state to overhaul the Abkari Act and impose a INR5 crore penalty on bootleggers. These episodes illustrate India’s recurring cycle of deadly hooch scandals driving tighter excise laws.

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Anto Augustine Bail Denied

Kerala High Court denied interim bail to Anto Augustine, managing director of Reporter TV.
The Abkari Act case concerns liquor above legal limits seized at Augustine’s ancestral house in Wayanad.
Sulthan Bathery First Class Magistrate Court rejected Augustine’s bail and allowed only 24 hours of Excise custody.
Augustine remains in judicial custody until September 30, with his High Court bail hearing set for September 22.

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