Reporter TV MD arrested in Kerala liquor case amid Messi probe

Anto Augustine, the Managing Director of Malayalam news channel Reporter TV, was arrested by Kerala Excise officials in the early hours of September 17, 2026, following the seizure of approximately 67 litres of liquor from his ancestral home in Wayanad. The arrest is connected to a broader investigation into alleged financial irregularities surrounding a failed football event featuring Argentine star Lionel Messi. The arrest occurred at the Reporter TV office in Kochi around 5 a.m. after an Excise team arrived at approximately 2:30 a.m. Augustine was taken into custody following a tense exchange in which he demanded to see a physical copy of the First Information Report before surrendering. He was subsequently taken for a medical examination and was produced before the Bathery Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, where he was remanded to 14 days of judicial custody. The liquor seizure took place during a search conducted by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) at Augustine's family residence in Vazhavatta, Wayanad, on September 16.