Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Police’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Wednesday carried out search operations at five locations linked to Reporter Broadcasting Company (RBC), including the headquarters of Malayalam news channel Reporter TV in Kalamassery (Kochi).
The raids also covered the private residences of RBC Managing Director Anto Augustine and his brothers in Kochi and Wayanad, as part of a widening probe into alleged financial irregularities surrounding the proposed Lionel Messi–Argentina football event in the state.
The searches began around 6 a.m. at the RBC office and later covered the Augustine family residences in Kochi and Wayanad, police said.
The action followed the SIT’s registration of its first FIR in the case, which alleges a criminal conspiracy since 2024 involving “illegal and fake” details inserted into an agreement with the Argentina Football Association (AFA), as reported by The Statesman.
Fraud, Tax Evasion Allegations
The FIR says the promoters misled fans and the state government by promising an exhibition match featuring the 2022 World Cup-winning Argentina squad and Lionel Messi at Kochi’s Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium, while allegedly adding false clauses to cheat the government and gain wrongful benefits.
The probe is looking into alleged tax evasion of ₹25.78 crore, foreign remittances of about ₹126 crore, and a request to waive a mandatory ₹5 crore stadium security deposit.
The event, once projected as Kerala’s flagship sports project through an RBC–AFA deal, was later cancelled over contract disputes and funding problems. The probe began after the Sports Department reported suspected financial discrepancies to the state government, leading the Home Department to order a full investigation and form the SIT.
Channel Condemns Raid
Reporter TV condemned the raids, alleging that officers entered active news desks, removed editorial staff and seized journalists’ personal mobile phones, and telecast the developments live while accusing police of trying to stop independent broadcasting.
Senior police officials denied obstructing news work, saying the operation strictly followed a magistrate’s search warrant and that broadcast was not disrupted.
CM Denies Censorship; Opposition, KUWJ Cry Foul
Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan rejected claims of state-sponsored media censorship, confirming the SIT acted under a legitimate court order in connection with the criminal probe into potential GST fraud and the aborted Messi–Argentina visit.
Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan and the Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) criticised the newsroom intrusion and device seizures as an attack on press freedom and democratic institutions.