Kerala Police's Special Investigation Team (SIT) entered Reporter TV's Kochi headquarters on September 16 under court‑issued warrants, searching five locations linked to a failed Messi‑sponsored football event.
The search extended to the Reporter Broadcasting Company office, the Augustine brothers' residences, and their ancestral home in Wayanad. Police said they gathered documents related to the alleged irregularities; they denied seizing any mobile phones.
Meanwhile, excise officials arrested the channel's managing director, Anto Augustine, on Thursday after finding liquor above the permissible limit in his Wayanad house. An excise case was filed citing the excess.
BJP national secretary K Surendran decried the raids, asking why the former Sports Minister's home was not searched. CPI(M) general secretary MA Baby accused Chief Minister V D Satheesan of attacking media freedom.
Journalists' groups, including the Press Club of India and the Kerala Union of Working Journalists, called the raids an intimidation tactic, alleging that police entered the newsroom and confiscated personal phones.
Chief Minister V D Satheesan defended the operation, stating it was part of the probe and that the state had no role in the investigation. Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala added that the SIT had acted within legal bounds and would let the law take its course.