Reporter TV Managing Director Anto Augustine Denied Bail in Kerala Liquor Possession Case

On September 18, the Sulthan Bathery Judicial First Class Magistrate denied bail to Anto Augustine, Managing Director of Reporter TV, in a case filed under the Kerala Abkari Act for possession of liquor beyond statutory limits. The magistrate ordered that Augustine remain in judicial custody. The Kerala High Court later refused to hear an interim bail application, leaving him in custody pending a further hearing scheduled for September 22. He is remanded until September 30 and is being held at the Mananthavady district jail.

Liquor seizure case: Kerala HC declines to hear Anto Augustine’s interim bail plea No bail for Anto Augustine; to remain in custody in liquor case Liquor seizure case: Anto Augustine remanded to 14-day judicial custody New Indian ExpressThe HinduReporter TV MD Anto Augustine remanded in liquor seizure case Anto Augustine’s ‘house not mine’ claim fails; Excise to seek custody

The seizure originated from a Special Investigation Team (SIT) raid on September 16, 2026 at Augustine’s residence in Wayanad and at the offices of Reporter Broadcasting Company (RBC). The SIT was probing alleged financial irregularities in a failed plan to bring Lionel Messi and the Argentina national football team to Kerala, a venture for which RBC was the principal commercial sponsor. Following the raid, the Excise Department took over the investigation and registered a case under the Abkari Act.

Bar & Bench

• Total liquor recovered: approximately 67 litres.

Hindustan Times

• Breakdown (as recorded by the Kalpetta Excise Circle):

Liquor seizure case: Anto Augustine remanded to 14-day judicial custody

• 43.850 litres foreign-made foreign liquor (FMFL)

Hindustan Times

• 1.224 litres foreign-made wine

Hindustan Times

• 6.250 litres KSBC wine

Hindustan Times

• 0.750 litre Indian-made foreign liquor (military canteen purchase)

Hindustan Times

• 12.750 litres liquid suspected to be illicit liquor

Reporter TV MD Anto Augustine remanded in liquor seizure case

• Legal possession limits: 2.5 litres of FMFL and 3.5 litres of wine per domestic premises.

Hindustan Times

The prosecution, represented by Assistant Public Prosecutor T. Abul Hassan, argued that the investigation was nascent and that releasing Augustine could enable witness intimidation or evidence tampering.

The Hindu

Justice Kauser Edappagath of the Kerala High Court questioned the prosecution on the necessity of continued detention, noting that the seized contraband had already been recovered. He emphasized the need for the prosecution to produce documentary proof linking Augustine to the property from which the liquor was taken before considering bail.

New Indian Express

Sources differ on the precise composition of the seized liquor. Additionally, Augustine’s defence contends that the property was sold in a 2022 bank-auction proceeding, whereas the prosecution presented a 2026 property-tax payment and a Muttil Panchayat possession certificate to establish ownership. The court has not yet resolved these factual discrepancies.

Bar & Bench

• “Since the custody application is moved, it is not proper on my part to grant interim bail at this stage,” — Justice Kauser Edappagath

New Indian Express

The matter will be heard again on September 22, when the High Court will consider the prosecution’s custody application and any further evidence on property ownership. The magistrate’s docket lists a final bail hearing for the following Tuesday, and Augustine’s custody is set to continue until September 30 unless the court orders otherwise.

Bar & Bench