Kochi, The Managing Director of a private Malayalam news channel was arrested by Excise officials from Kalamassery here in the wee hours of Thursday after liquor above the permissible limit was recovered during a police search at his ancestral house in Wayanad, Excise officials said.
The Excise department registered a case against Anto Augustine based on the police report after they recovered liquor above the permissible limit during the search, they said.
The Special Investigation Team on Wednesday searched the office and residences of Augustine and his two brothers in Kochi and Wayanad as part of a probe into alleged irregularities in a failed football event featuring Argentina's star player Lionel Messi sponsored by Reporter Broadcasting Company.
The Excise case was registered under various non-bailable sections of the Abkari Act for possessing liquor in excess of the permissible quantity, officials said.
He was arrested and later shifted to Wayanad, Excise officials said.
"Regarding the Messi-related football match probe, all documents have been given, and the search is over. The arrest is now made in an Excise case. Let's see," Augustine told reporters.
He said Excise officials detained him around 2 am and informed him about the case only at around 4.30 am.
{{/usCountry}}He said Excise officials detained him around 2 am and informed him about the case only at around 4.30 am.
{{/usCountry}}"I never consumed liquor and have not used it in my life. But I don't know about this Excise case. Let's go and see," he said.
Asked about the 67 litres of liquor seized from his house, he said he was in Kochi and was unaware of it.
"I don't know about it as I was in Kochi. Let's see," he said.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said the SIT had not done anything wrong as the searches were conducted after obtaining warrants.
"Home Minister won't interfere in any police investigation. Let the investigation go on. The law will take its course," he said.
He denied opposition allegations that there was an emergency-like situation in Keralam and said several mediapersons had been booked during the previous Pinarayi Vijayan government.
"If anyone did anything illegal, there will be action from the part of the police," he said.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.