The Kerala government will seek the Governor’s sanction to register a corruption case against former sports minister V Abdurahiman over alleged financial fraud linked to the proposed visit of Argentina’s football team and captain Lionel Messi to the state. The move follows a recommendation by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which has sought permission to proceed against the former minister and two officials under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The government is preparing to submit a report and a detailed letter to the Governor seeking approval. The sanction is being sought because Abdurahiman held ministerial office when the alleged irregularities occurred, according to state Home Department sources.

The procedure differs from the one followed in the Sabarimala gold theft case, where corruption-related provisions were invoked against former Devaswom Board members and employees without prior government sanction. Crime Branch sources said the decision in that case was linked to directions from the Kerala High Court.

The SIT has recommended proceedings under the Prevention of Corruption Act against Abdurahiman, his former private secretary C Sathypalan, and former Kerala State Sports Council president and footballer U Sharafali.

According to the investigation, there is evidence of alleged irregular interventions by Abdurahiman and his ministerial office in arrangements connected with the proposed football visit and sponsorship.

If the Governor grants sanction, the former minister and the two officials could be named as accused in the case. The proposed action would extend the investigation to alleged interventions at the ministerial level during the previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) government.

The investigation team is considering naming five parties in the case: Reporter Broadcasting Company, its owner Anto Augustine, Abdurahiman, Sathypalan and Sharafali.

The existing first information report (FIR) names Reporter Broadcasting Company and Augustine. The SIT’s assessment is that corruption-related offences can be incorporated into the existing case, rather than requiring a separate FIR.

The alleged conspiracy is expected to be a key charge against Augustine. Further investigation will determine the action to be taken against the Sports Kerala Foundation and the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA), with decisions on charges against the two institutions to be made after a more detailed inquiry.

Abdurahiman denies being questioned by SIT

The latest reports come after Abdurahiman denied claims that the SIT had questioned him in connection with the case.

Speaking to Mathrubhumi in Tirur, the former minister said investigators had not questioned him and dismissed the reports as media-created. He also said he did not wish to respond to the media.

Earlier reports had claimed that the SIT questioned him for around four hours. The alleged questioning was said to have covered his visit to Spain, the selection of the event sponsor and the role of his ministerial office in organising the proposed visit.

Reports also suggested that investigators had used documents recovered during recent searches and a questionnaire while recording his statement. Abdurahiman, however, has denied being questioned by the team.

Searches at accused’s premises

The SIT has searched the residence of Anto Augustine, a key accused in the case, as well as the offices of Reporter Broadcasting Company.

Investigators reportedly recovered agreements, correspondence and email messages involving the former minister’s office, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) and the sponsor.

The team is examining the arrangements made to bring the Argentina national football team to Kerala, including allegations that Abdurahiman intervened in the allocation of Kochi’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium to Augustine and extended assistance outside the prescribed procedures.

The investigation is also looking into allegations that assurances about Messi’s proposed visit helped Augustine secure financial gains and that government machinery was used in the process.

Proposed Argentina visit never took place

The plan to bring Messi and the Argentina team to Kerala was announced during the previous Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government, when Abdurahiman was the sports minister.

He had repeatedly announced that the team would play a major international friendly in Kerala in October 2025.

The government had said the event’s sponsor transferred a match fee of $16 million to the AFA with the approval of the Reserve Bank of India. However, the proposed visit did not take place.

In April 2026, Abdurahiman said Messi and the Argentina team had failed to honour their agreement, describing the development as a “betrayal”. He maintained that the responsibility for the cancellation rested entirely with the team and not the state government.

The proposed visit also became a political issue during the May 2026 Assembly election in Tirur, where Abdurahiman contested as the Communist Party of India (Marxist) candidate.

He lost to Indian Union Muslim League candidate Kurukkoli Moideen by 24,137 votes. Moideen secured 1,06,108 votes, while Abdurahiman received 81,971.

The investigation gathered momentum after the United Democratic Front (UDF) government led by V.D. Satheesan came to power following the election. The government constituted the SIT in September to investigate the financial transactions and other allegations linked to the proposed event.

SIT examining sponsorship and financial transactions

Additional Director General of Police P. Vijayan heads the SIT, which includes officers from the Crime Branch, Vigilance and local police.

The investigation followed scrutiny of reports from the Sports and GST departments, along with a legal opinion from the Advocate General.

The team is examining bank records, agreements, company accounts, sponsorship arrangements and the procedure followed in selecting the sponsor.

Separately, the Enforcement Directorate is investigating possible violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) in connection with the transactions.