Thiruvananthapuram: A serial trail of criminal cases ranging from land encroachment to illegal timber felling and financial fraud marks the record of Anto Augustine. Despite facing around 15 cases between 2005 and 2021, the previous state government entrusted Anto Augustine to bring football legend Lionel Messi to Kerala.

Adding to the controversy, Opposition leaders and CPM leaders have openly come out against a police raid conducted at the Reporter Broadcasting Company owned by Anto Augustine, competing with one another to offer him support.

The Muttil tree-felling case remains the most prominent charge among his offences. According to the case registered at the Meenangadi police station, Anto Augustine and his brothers, Roji Augustine and Josekutty Augustine, allegedly cheated nearly 60 farmers to illegally fell and smuggle 112 rosewood trees, aged over 500 years and valued at around ₹4 crore, from government land.

In another complaint filed at the Ernakulam Central police station, Anto was accused of submitting forged project reports under the name of 'Asian Surya Udyog Limited' to a nationalised bank, producing fake records of margin money to secure a loan of ₹66 lakh, which was never repaid.

Further cases registered against him include threatening Commercial Taxes Department officials for refusing to release a goods lorry impounded for tax evasion, failing to return an advance payment of ₹1.5 crore in a Karnataka land deal, verbally abusing and physically assaulting a female employee at M-Phone Electronics, and accepting money under the pretext of supplying lorries without delivering the vehicles or refunding the cash.

In 2005, a case was registered against him at the Meenangadi police station for blocking a KSRTC bus and verbally abusing the driver. Another case at the same station pertains to the physical assault of an individual who requested a formal contract during an LCD projector transaction.

His criminal record further includes assaulting a Deputy Tehsildar, a female Village Officer, and other officials who arrived for revenue recovery proceedings, assaulting female police officers who intervened, attempting to run over a local resident with a jeep for assisting in distraint proceedings; and physically assaulting a court amin and process server.