Kochi: The Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court has reserved its order on the anticipatory bail plea filed by Reporter TV Managing Director Anto Augustine in connection with the alleged multi-crore fraud surrounding a proposed visit by Argentine football superstar Lionel Messi to Kerala. The court concluded arguments in the matter and will pronounce its order on Friday.

During the hearing, the police informed the court that there was currently no immediate move to arrest Augustine. The investigating officers said their present objective was to serve him a formal notice and summon him for interrogation in accordance with procedural guidelines.

Augustine approached the court seeking anticipatory bail after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) began finalising steps to summon him for questioning.

The case relates to allegations of cheating, criminal conspiracy and document fabrication in connection with an agreement to organise an exhibition football match in Kerala featuring Messi and the Argentina national team.

Augustine also moved the court seeking the immediate release of foreign currency seized by the SIT during searches at his establishment. The prosecution strongly opposed the request, arguing that around US $6,300 seized from the Reporter TV headquarters could not be released at this stage.

The police told the court that the legitimate source of the foreign currency had not yet been established and that the matter required further forensic accounting. Investigators also informed the court that reports regarding the seized money had already been forwarded to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Income Tax Department.

According to the prosecution, the seized funds could not be handed over while the investigation into their source was still under way.

Augustine, along with two other unidentified persons, is also facing proceedings in a separate case over forged documents concerning an alleged second marriage of Chief Minister V D Satheesan. The case was registered on the basis of a complaint filed by Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) spokesperson Raju P Nair.

Augustine has filed an anticipatory bail plea in that case as well. The petition is scheduled to come up before the court on September 26.

The latest development in the sessions court comes shortly after Augustine secured regular bail from the Kerala High Court in the excess liquor possession case.

Last week, the SIT conducted multi-location searches as part of its investigation into the Messi event case. During the raids, the team allegedly recovered around 67 litres of Indian-Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and foreign spirits from Augustine’s ancestral house at Muttil in Wayanad.

The seized liquor was subsequently handed over to the state Excise Department, following which Augustine was arrested on September 17 in connection with the Abkari case.

The High Court later granted him regular bail, taking note of the fact that he had no previous history of Abkari offences and that the seized material was already in the custody of the authorities.