Reporter TV MD Anto Augustine arrested over excess liquor at Wayanad home

Reporter TV Managing Director Anto Augustine was arrested by the Kerala Excise Department on September 17, 2023, for allegedly possessing liquor above the legally allowed limit. Excise officials seized Augustine from the news channel's office in Kochi and transported him to Aluva District Hospital for a medical examination before he was brought before a court.

This arrest followed a search at Augustine's family residence in Wayanad conducted earlier in the week. During the search, officials discovered 43 litres of liquor and seven litres of wine, exceeding the permitted limits. Augustine was booked under Sections 55(A), 55(I), and 58 of the Kerala Abkari Act, as per reports from local media.

The liquor was found during a Special Investigation Team (SIT) search at the Wayanad residence. The ongoing police investigation is connected to allegations surrounding an unsuccessful collaboration involving Argentine football star Lionel Messi and the Argentina national team's intended visit to Kerala. Augustine is set to be produced before the Bathery Judicial First Class Magistrate Court.

The arrest pertains specifically to the alleged possession of liquor beyond the permitted quantity. Meanwhile, the Thiruvananthapuram Cyber Crime Police registered an additional case against Augustine and two unidentified men on September 16, alleging defamation of Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan and conspiracy to spread false information about him.