Anto Augustine, the managing director of a Malayalam news television channel, was remanded to judicial custody by a court in Sultan Bathery on Sunday. This decision follows his one-day detention in Excise custody after authorities seized liquor bottles exceeding the legal limit from his ancestral home in the area.
Augustine, managing director of Reporter Broadcasting Company, was arrested on Thursday after a Special Investigation Team, formed to probe alleged irregularities in a failed football event sponsored by the company, found liquor bottles at his ancestral house. The court on Friday had dismissed his bail petition. Augustine, who was taken into Excise custody for one day, was produced before Sultan Bathery Judicial First Class Magistrate Adheena Biju. Augustine later approached the Kerala High Court seeking bail.
He was remanded in judicial custody till September 30. The High Court decided to consider his plea on September 22.
The SIT handed over the seized liquor to the Excise Department, which subsequently registered a case and arrested Augustine, officials said.
Evidence Collection in Augustine Case
The Excise team has conducted a thorough investigation involving Augustine, who was held in custody for 24 hours. During this time, investigators visited his ancestral home to gather evidence. They examined liquor bottles seized from the property as part of their ongoing inquiry into the case.
