Kasaragod:The GST Intelligence wing has found that the sponsor, who promised to bring Lionel Messi and the Argentina team to Kerala for an exhibition match, transferred ₹126 crore to a US-based agency in June and October 2025. The money was routed through Reporter Broadcasting Company’s SBI account.

Based on the findings, the Kanhangad GST Intelligence office took up the case, as any GST unit can probe suspected tax fraud. However, the probe soon ran into high-level intervention under the previous LDF government, which sought to stall it on the grounds that the proposed match had not taken place. The investigating officer was subsequently transferred.

Appearing before the authorities on August 3, Reporter Broadcasting Company MD Anto Augustine is learnt to have told investigators that the company was not liable to pay tax as Messi had not turned up in Kerala. Officials, however, said the company could have paid the tax and subsequently filed a refund claim, as permitted in such cases.