KALPETTA: Reporter TV Managing Director Anto Augustine has been taken into Excise custody in connection with the seizure of 67 litres of liquor from his ancestral home at Karapuzha in South Muttil. The Bathery Judicial First Class Magistrate Court on Saturday granted the Excise Department his custody for 24 hours for further interrogation and investigation.
Soon after being taken into custody, Anto was brought to his family residence, ‘Moonganani’, at Karapuzha, where the Excise officials conducted an evidence-gathering exercise. The procedure continued for nearly five hours, after which he was taken to the District Assistant Excise Commissioner’s office at Meenangadi for further interrogation.
The Excise Department had sought four days’ custody of Anto, arguing that his custodial interrogation was necessary to trace the source of the liquor seized from the premises and establish other details related to the case. The prosecution also pointed to the seizure of 12 litres of illicit liquor from the house. However, the court granted custody only for 24 hours, from noon on Saturday to noon on Sunday. Northern Zone Excise Joint Commissioner Y Shibu told the media that the department could seek an extension of custody if key procedures remained incomplete.
During the court proceedings, the defence reiterated its earlier contention that due procedures were not followed in Anto’s arrest. The defence argued that Anto was not present at the premises when the raid was conducted and was in Ernakulam at the time.
The defence also maintained that the building from which the liquor was seized had been sold on June 30, 2022, under SARFAESI proceedings and was no longer owned by Anto. The Bathery Magistrate Court had earlier rejected Anto’s bail plea, relying on the building certificate issued by the Muttil grama panchayat.
Meanwhile, the High Court, which considered Anto’s bail plea on Friday, sought an explanation from the government and adjourned the hearing to September 22.