Kerala High Court grants bail to Reporter TV MD Anto Augustine in liquor case

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday granted bail to Anto Augustine, Managing Editor and Managing Director of Reporter TV, in a case registered over the alleged possession of alcohol beyond permissible limits.

Justice Kauser Edapppagath allowed the relief in Mr. Augustine's appeal against an order passed by the Judicial First Class Magistrate, Sulthan Bathery.

During the proceedings, Mr. Augustine contended that the house from which the liquor was reportedly seized had already been sold in 2022 under proceedings initiated under the SARFAESI Act. The Director General of Prosecution, T. Asaf Ali, countered that Mr. Augustine had paid tax for the building in March 2026.

According to the prosecution, authorities had allegedly recovered 43.850 litres of Foreign Made Foreign Liquor, 1.224 litres of Foreign Made Foreign Wine, 6.250 litres of wine sourced from Bevco, 750 ml of Indian Made Foreign Liquor stated to have been purchased from a military canteen, and 12.750 litres of liquid containing alcohol from a house allegedly owned by Mr. Augustine at Karappuzha, Muttil, in Wayanad district.