Kerala Messi Event Fraud Investigation
Kerala Special Investigation Team Raids Media Properties Over Cancelled Lionel Messi Event
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Key Points
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Police sources said Reporter Broadcasting Company was already under scrutiny over alleged tax evasion amounting to ₹25.78 crore.
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The SIT registered an FIR at Kalamassery police station, naming Reporter Broadcasting Company and Anto Augustine as accused and invoking charges including cheating, fraud and conspiracy.
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At the Reporter TV premises, the police team reportedly returned after about an hour without searching the administrative office because it was closed in the early morning. The assistant commissioner leading the team said officers did not realize they had entered the newsroom and had no intention of disrupting the broadcast.
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The Sports Department inquiry found that the initial proposal came from Goat Ad Global, a Kalamassery firm registered only 20 days earlier with capital of ₹1 lakh. The firm shared the same address as the later sponsor, Reporter Broadcasting Company, while the government did not assess the entities’ financial capacity or scrutinize the agreement adequately.
Kerala Police's Special Investigation Team raided five properties linked to Reporter Broadcasting Company on Thursday, including the Reporter TV newsroom and homes of owners Anto and Joskutty Augustine. Indian Express The raids targeted alleged financial irregularities and fraud tied to a failed proposal to bring Lionel Messi and Argentina's national team to Kerala. Police registered charges including cheating, fraud, and conspiracy against Reporter Broadcasting Company and Anto Augustine.
Reporter TV claimed officers seized employees' phones and disrupted live broadcasts during the raid. The Hindu The Chief Minister denied this, stating police had no intention to interfere with operations. A separate government inquiry found the event sponsor was chosen without a tender and shared an address with Reporter Broadcasting Company, which police allege evaded taxes worth ₹25.78 crore.
Raids Target Reporter TV and Company Leadership
The SIT conducted simultaneous searches at five locations Thursday morning. ETV Bharat They raided the Reporter TV office in Kochi, the homes of proprietors Anto and Joskutty Augustine in both Kochi and Wayanad, and the office of event organizer GOTAD. Police returned from the newsroom after about one hour without fully searching the administrative office, which was locked early in the morning.
The assistant commissioner leading the raid said officers did not realize they had entered the newsroom and had no intention of disrupting broadcasts. Hindustan Times Reporter TV disputed this account, alleging that police entered without proper notice and filmed journalists. Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan condemned the raid as an attack on press freedom and urged the government to respect media independence.
Government Inquiry Flags Tender Process and Links
A Sports Department investigation uncovered serious procedural flaws in how the Messi event was organized. News18 The sponsor, Goat Ad Global, was registered only 20 days before the proposal and had minimal capital of just ₹1 lakh. The firm shared the same address as Reporter Broadcasting Company, yet the government never assessed either entity's financial capacity or properly reviewed their agreement.
The inquiry found that the event sponsor was selected without following a competitive tender process. Officials failed to scrutinize the relationship between the newly formed organizing company and Reporter Broadcasting Company. These lapses raised red flags about due diligence and accountability in how public resources were allocated for the failed event.
Tax Evasion Allegations and Criminal Charges
Police sources revealed that Reporter Broadcasting Company was already under scrutiny for alleged tax evasion totaling ₹25.78 crore. The Hindu The SIT registered an FIR at Kalamassery police station, formally naming Reporter Broadcasting Company and Anto Augustine as accused. Charges invoked include cheating, fraud, and criminal conspiracy under relevant Indian penal code sections.
The investigation aims to establish how the failed Messi event proposal involved alleged financial fraud and irregularities. Police are examining financial documents and communications seized during the raids. The case highlights governance gaps in how Kerala approved and managed the controversial sporting event proposal.
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