THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a fresh twist, it has emerged that the address provided by Reporter Broadcasting Company (RBC) managing director Anto Augustine in his statement before the GST department in August is that of a house in Vazhavatta, Wayanad. Following the excise department’s recent seizure of illegal liquor from the residence, Anto asserted the house was not currently owned by him.
In court, he argued that the house was owned by his mother-in-law. The prosecution had countered this argument with the ownership certificate issued by the local panchayat.
Anto’s statement came against the backdrop of the controversy over the proposed football event involving Lionel Messi and the Argentine team in the state. In his statement to GST intelligence officials on August 3, Anto said the state sports department approached the company to sponsor the event.
RBC has petitioned the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland to recover the money paid towards the cancelled visit of the Argentina team, he said.
The statement was entered before intelligence officer Sajini K K at the Kanhangad intelligence unit. According to Anto, the government had earlier reached an agreement with the Gold Merchants Association for the event. As the association could not raise the required funds, the government sought a new sponsor.
According to him, the government informed the company that Argentina had agreed to play two friendlies in the state and that it had formed a special-purpose vehicle (SPV) to conduct the matches.