Anto Augustine arrested by Excise in Abkari case

Anto Augustin | Photo credit: via Facebook page

Wayanad revenue officials on Thursday (September 17, 2026) morning took Anto Augustin, 38, CEO of Malayalam news channel Reporter TV, into custody on charges of allegedly possessing liquor above the legal limit.

He was taken into custody from the canal office at Kalamassery in Ernakulam around 5 am. The move followed the reported recovery of 67 liters of liquor – above the legal limit for possession – from his ancestral home in Muttil South Village, Vythiri Taluk, Wayanad, on Wednesday (September 16, 2026) during a search operation led by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing alleged financial scams linked to last year’s failed L Kochi national team.

Sharfudhin T., Excise Circle Inspector, Excise Office, Kalpetta, filed an incident report in connection with a case registered under the Abkari Act in the First Class Magistrate’s Court, Sulthan Bathery, Wayanad, early on Thursday. The accused was booked under Sections 55(a), 55(i) and 58 of the Kerala Abkari Act.

An Excise team led by an Assistant Commissioner arrived at the Reporter TV office to take Mr. Augustin into custody. After the medical examination, Augustine will be taken to Wayanad and produced before the court of first instance, Sulthan Bathery in Wayanad, excise sources said.

Mr Augustine reportedly initially insisted on being shown the incident report. Although the Excise team showed him a digital copy, he insisted on a hard copy, following which Perumbavoor Excise Circle Inspector Manoj Kumar came to the office with a copy.

The SIT on Wednesday conducted day-long search operations at five locations in Ernakulam and Wayanad districts.

The first accused

According to SIT sources, digital devices, documents, foreign currency and 67 liters of liquor were seized during the searches. The operations were carried out on the basis of a first information report (FIR) registered by the Kalamassery police after a preliminary investigation found prima facie grounds for a cognizable offence. Mr. Augustine was the first accused in the case as an authorized signatory of Reporter Broadcasting Private Limited. The company was named as the second defendant.

According to the FIR, the accused entered into a criminal conspiracy from before December 20, 2024, when “illegal and false” details were inserted in the agreement signed with the Argentine Football Association with the intention of defrauding the state government and the public for profit. The FIR further alleged that the accused conspired to get custody of the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in Kaloor by securing a deposit waiver of ₹5 crore on 26 September 2025.

Published – 17 Sep 2026 09:44 IST