Reporter Broadcasting’s Anto Augustine Sent to Excise Custody for 24 Hours in Wayanad Liquor Probe

Kalpetta – Anto Augustine, the managing director of Reporter Broadcasting Company, found himself behind bars for a brief stint after the Bathery Judicial First Class Magistrate Court granted the excise department only 24 hours of custody in an ongoing abkari (liquor) case.

The prosecution had originally asked for a four‑day custodial period, arguing that the authorities needed more time to trace the source of the foreign‑made liquor and other contraband seized during the raid. The magistrate, however, cut that request short, saying a day would be sufficient for the initial interrogation.

According to the excise officials, the seizure involved a sizable stock of imported spirits, and they believe that pinning down the supply chain is crucial. Their request for a longer detention was framed as a way to “facilitate detailed questioning” of Mr. Augustine.

On the defence side, counsel repeated the same points raised earlier – that the legal criteria for arrest hadn’t been met and that Augustine was nowhere near the raid site when it happened. In fact, they say he was in Ernakulam at the time, a claim the court appears to have taken into account when limiting the custody.

It’s not the first time the name Anto Augustine has surfaced in courtrooms. Earlier this year, the Kerala High Court refused to hear his interim bail plea in a separate liquor‑seizure case, and other matters – ranging from alleged encroachment to illegal logging – have also been attached to his legal portfolio.

While the 24‑hour lock‑up may feel symbolic, it does give the excise department a window to ask specific questions about the foreign liquor’s provenance. Whether that will lead to further arrests or a deeper investigation remains to be seen.

For now, Augustine’s legal team is gearing up for the next hearing, hoping to secure his release and perhaps push back against any extended custody requests that might arise later.