{
  "id": 7945635,
  "title": "Anto Augustine arrested by Excise in Abkari case",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/anto-augustine-arrested-by-excise-in-abkari-case",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-17T04:15:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu",
    "slug": "the-hindu",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/anto-augustine-arrested-by-excise-in-abkari-case/article71475222.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "Excise officials have arrested Anto Augustine, the 38-year-old managing director of Malayalam news channel Reporter TV, on charges of alleged possession of liquor exceeding the legally permissible limit. The arrest came after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) recovered 67 litres of liquor from Augustine's ancestral residence in Muttil South Village, Vythiri Taluk, Wayanad, during a search operation on September 16, 2026. The SIT is investigating alleged financial fraud linked to a failed bid to bring the Argentine national football team to Kochi for an international friendly last year. Augustine faces charges under Sections 55(a), 55(i), and 58 of the Kerala Abkari Act and will be taken to Wayanad for a magistrate's court appearance.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Gulf News",
        "title": "Reporter TV MD Anto Augustine arrested over excess liquor at Wayanad home",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/reporter-tv-md-anto-augustine-arrested-over-excess-liquor-at-wayanad",
        "published": "2026-09-17T03:39:41.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}