Kochi, September 22, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Kerala High Court on Tuesday granted conditional bail to Anto Augustine, Managing Director of Reporter Broadcasting Company, in a case registered by the Excise Department following the seizure of liquor from a property in Wayanad.
Augustine had been in judicial custody since his arrest last Thursday. His earlier bail plea was rejected by the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Sulthan Bathery. The High Court had also declined interim relief on Friday before taking up the matter for detailed hearing on Tuesday.
Augustine was arrested from the Reporter TV office in Kalamassery after Excise officials seized around 65 litres of liquor and wine during a search at a property in Wayanad. The case has been registered under Sections 55(a), 55(i) and 58 of the Kerala Abkari Act.
During the hearing, Augustine’s defence argued that he neither owned nor exercised control over the property from which the liquor was allegedly recovered. The defence submitted that the property had been mortgaged to the State Bank of India and subsequently sold through a SARFAESI auction in 2022.
It was also argued that Augustine was not present at the premises when the search was conducted and that the sections invoked under the Abkari Act were not applicable to him.
The excise case is separate from a Kerala Police investigation into alleged financial irregularities connected with the proposed visit of football star Lionel Messi and the Argentina national football team to the state.
Shortly before the excise case was registered, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Kerala Police searched the offices of Reporter Broadcasting Company and properties linked to Augustine and his brothers. Documents and other records were seized during the searches as part of the probe.
The proximity of Augustine’s arrest to the SIT searches had led to questions over the action against the head of the media organisation. Augustine has denied the allegations in the liquor case and maintained that he has cooperated with investigators in the football-event probe.
Following the High Court’s order, Augustine will be released from custody subject to the conditions imposed by the court. Investigations in the excise case and the separate financial irregularities probe will continue.
FOLLOW NOW
