Full Breakdown
Kerala High Court Grants Bail to Reporter TV MD Anto Augustine in Liquor Possession Case
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: High Court Bail Decision
On September 22, 2026, Justice Kauser Edappagath of the Kerala High Court granted bail to Anto Augustine, managing director and managing editor of Reporter TV, in a case filed under the Kerala Abkari Act for possession of liquor beyond the legal limit. The court held that continued detention was unnecessary after the seized liquor had been recovered and Augustine had already spent a day in police custody.
Background & Context: Probe into Failed Messi Event and Liquor Seizure
The seizure was part of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into alleged financial irregularities linked to Reporter Broadcasting Company’s sponsorship of a planned visit by the Argentine national football team and Lionel Messi, an event that never materialised. The SIT’s search of Augustine’s offices and residences on September 16, 2026 uncovered liquor bottles at his ancestral house in Muttil, Wayanad, prompting the Excise Department to register the Abkari case.
Timeline
- June 30 2022 – The ancestral house in Karappuzha was sold at an e-auction for over Rs 2 crore under SARFAESI-Act proceedings.
- September 16 2026 – Excise officials seized liquor at Augustine’s Wayanad residence.
- September 17 2026 – Augustine was arrested by the Excise Department.
- September 18 2026 – A Judicial First Class Magistrate dismissed his bail petition and ordered 14 days of judicial custody.
- September 19 2026 – The Sulthan Bathery magistrate again denied bail, citing the early stage of investigation.
- September 22 2026 – The High Court granted bail, setting conditions for appearance before the investigating officer.
Data & Statistics
- Liquor recovered: reports cite either approximately 67 litres of foreign-made liquor and wine, or a detailed breakdown of 43.850 litres foreign liquor, 1.224 litres foreign wine, 6.250 litres wine from Bevco, 0.750 litre IMFL from a military canteen, and 12.750 litres of other alcoholic liquid.
- Director General of Prosecution T. Asaf Ali indicated Augustine was involved in 41 cases.
- The property from which the liquor was seized had been sold in 2022, but Augustine paid property tax on it in March 2026.
Official Statements & Responses
The court observed that an accused is not required to answer every question from an investigating officer, citing Supreme Court precedent, and noted that the investigation was still at a “nascent stage.” The Excise Department requested four days of custody to trace the source and transport route of the seized liquor; the magistrate limited custody to 24 hours, later extended by the High Court’s bail order.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Quantity of liquor: Some reports list a precise breakdown totaling roughly 65 litres, while others cite a rounded figure of 67 litres. Both appear in official recovery statements.
- Property ownership: Augustine contends the house was sold in 2022 and he had no possession, yet the prosecution presented a building certificate in his name and noted tax payments in March 2026.
- Criminal antecedents: The prosecution cites involvement in 41 cases, whereas the High Court’s oral observation suggested Augustine had no prior convictions under the Abkari Act.
The bail decision reflects the court’s effort to balance investigative needs with the rights of a media executive amid a probe linking alleged financial misconduct to a high-visibility sports sponsorship.