Kalpetta: Following a police search at the Wayanad family home of Reporter TV owner Anto Augustine, an Excise team also conducted an inspection at the house. The Excise officials seized 43 litres of foreign liquor from the premises. They also recovered 7 litres of wine.

After the liquor was found, police informed the Excise Department and called its officials to the spot to initiate legal proceedings. A team led by Kalpetta Excise Circle Inspector Sharafudheen arrived at the house and began further action.

The quantity of liquor stored at the house was higher than the legally permitted limit for personal possession under Kerala law. The permitted limit for Indian-made foreign liquor is 3 litres per person, while the limit for wine is 3.5 litres. Although a person can legally possess up to 15 litres of various alcoholic beverages, including beer, toddy and other foreign liquor, the quantity seized from the house exceeded the permitted limit.

The Excise team is examining whether the foreign liquor seized was directly imported from abroad or was Indian-made foreign liquor. Storing or distributing such a large quantity of liquor at home without the required licence or temporary permit constitutes a serious violation of the law. Excise officials are continuing legal proceedings and preparing a report on what was seized at the house.

Police have registered an FIR naming Anto Augustine as the first accused in the football sponsorship fraud case. The FIR registered at the Kalamassery police station alleges that he cheated and deceived the government by claiming that he would bring the Argentina football team to Kerala.