States » SouthPosted at: Sep 17 2026 9:02PM


Reporter TV MD Anto Augustine remanded for 14 days in liquor case

Wayanad, Sep 17 (UNI) Reporter TV Managing Director and Managing Editor Anto Augustine was remanded in judicial custody for 14 days on Thursday in an Abkari case registered after a liquor collection exceeding the permissible limit was seized from his residence in Wayanad.
Augustine, who was arrested by the Excise Department from the channel's Kochi office in the early hours of Thursday, was produced before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court at Sultan Bathery and remanded to judicial custody. He will be shifted to the Mananthavady District Jail. The court is expected to pronounce its order on his bail plea on Friday.
The Excise Department had seized around 67 litres of liquor during a search at Augustine's residence at Vazhavatta near the Karapuzha reservoir in Wayanad.
The seizure included around 43 litres of foreign liquor, about 4.8 litres of foreign-made wine, around 5.5 litres of Kerala-made wine and 860 ml of military liquor, besides other liquor identified by the Excise Department. The total quantity was reported to be more than 67 litres.
The search was conducted amid an investigation into alleged financial irregularities connected with the proposed visit of the Argentina football team to Kerala. Following the seizure, the Excise Department registered an Abkari case against Augustine.
An Excise team led by Assistant Excise Commissioner Baiju reached the Reporter TV office in Kochi and arrested Augustine. He was subsequently taken to Aluva District Hospital for a medical examination before being brought to Wayanad for questioning.
A team comprising senior Excise officials, including the Joint Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner and Assistant Excise Commissioner, questioned Augustine for several hours. The questioning continued until around 4.30 pm, with officials mainly seeking to ascertain how such a large quantity of liquor came to be kept at his residence.
According to reports quoting Excise sources, Augustine told the investigators that he did not know how the liquor had reached the house and that he did not consume alcohol. His statements are part of the ongoing investigation.
The Excise Department has invoked Sections 55(A), 55(I) and 58 of the Kerala Abkari Act in the case. The provisions deal with various offences relating to unlawful possession, transportation or sale of liquor and possession of liquor on which applicable duty has not been paid.
The investigation is continuing into the source of the liquor and the circumstances in which it was kept at the residence.
UNI DS
Tags: #Reporter TV MD Anto Augustine remanded for 14 days in liquor case
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