Wayanad court rejects anticipatory bail plea of Anto Augustine's mother-in-law
Kalpetta Sessions Court denied Lilly Jose’s anticipatory bail plea in an Abkari case; she wasn't named in the FIR but must receive notice if made an accused.
Kalpetta Sessions Court denied Lilly Jose’s anticipatory bail plea in an Abkari case; she wasn't named in the FIR but must receive notice if made an accused.
Kalpetta Sessions Court denied Lilly Jose’s anticipatory bail plea in an Abkari case; she wasn't named in the FIR but must receive notice if made an accused.
Kalpetta: The Kalpetta Sessions Court on Wednesday dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of Lilly Jose, mother-in-law of Reporter Broadcasting Company (RBC) Managing Editor Anto Augustine, in connection to an Abkari case registered by the Excise Department.
The court noted that Lilly Jose has not been named as an accused in the FIR so far. However, it directed the Excise Department to serve her the mandatory advance notice if it decides to make her an accused and to follow due legal procedures before arresting her.
The case relates to an Excise Department raid at a residence in Vazhavatta here linked to Anto Augustine, where officials seized 64.844 litres of liquor and other alcoholic substances.
Anto Augustine had earlier told the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, Sulthan Bathery, that he was no longer the owner of the property. His counsel later produced before the Kerala High Court an SBI sale certificate showing that the property had been sold through an e-auction in 2022 after a loan default.
Court records show that Lilly Jose had purchased the property through the SBI e-auction. The Sulthan Bathery magistrate court subsequently granted bail to Anto Augustine, taking into account his contention that he no longer owned the property and the documents supporting it.
The Excise Department has since been trying to trace Lilly Jose, whose questioning is expected to help investigators establish the ownership and use of the premises and the circumstances surrounding the liquor seizure.
Sources said the department had obtained a legal opinion on the possibility of initiating proceedings against Lilly Jose, based on documents produced in court indicating that she is the present owner of the property.
However, if Lilly Jose also denies ownership, the department could consider initiating proceedings for confiscation of the property, subject to the provisions of the Abkari law, sources said.
Despite the ongoing efforts to trace them, Lilly Jose and her husband, K J Jose, Managing Director of Reporter Broadcasting Company, have not appeared before the investigating officers.