KALPETTA: Excise officials have found that the purported house of Reporter Broadcasting Company (RBC) managing director Anto Augustine at Karapuzha, Vazhavatta, was constructed in violation of building regulations and directives issued by the Wayanad district disaster management authority (DDMA).
According to the investigation team’s custody application produced before the Sulthan Bathery first class magistrate court, Anto constructed the house without adhering to the restrictions imposed by the DDMA in the area.
The report, prepared by assistant excise commissioner R N Baiju, stated that Anto had applied to the Muttil panchayat in 2022 to reclassify the building for use as a homestay or tourist home.
However, following a site inspection, the panchayat issued a notice to him on March 28, 2022, citing unauthorised construction. The panchayat secretary later rejected his application and issued a stop memo.
The DDMA has stipulated a maximum building height of 10m and a limit of three floors in the Muttil panchayat area, which includes Vazhavatta. The stop memo was issued after the plan submitted by Anto to the panchayat showed that the house had four floors and exceeded the prescribed height limit, the report said.
Meanwhile, Anto was sent back to jail after the completion of his 24-hour excise custody. He was produced before the magistrate and subsequently taken to the Mananthavady District Jail. Before being taken to jail, Anto told reporters that he would respond to their queries later.
Anto, who was in judicial custody in the case related to the storage of 67 litres of liquor, was handed over to the excise department on Saturday. After evidence collection at his residence in Vazhavatta, he was taken to the district assistant excise commissioner’s office at Meenangadi for probe.
Had issued stop memo
The report stated Anto had applied to Muttil panchayat in 2022 to reclassify the building for use as a tourist home
Following a site inspection, the panchayat issued a notice to him on March 28, 2022, citing unauthorised construction
The panchayat secretary later rejected his application and issued a stop memo
