Kochi: A Kerala Police Special Investigation Team (SIT) is conducting searches at five locations across the state on Wednesday as part of the probe into the failed attempt to bring football star Lionel Messi to Kerala, sources said.

Armed with court warrants, the investigators are searching four premises in Ernakulam, including the offices of Reporter Broadcasting Company and the residences of the Augustine brothers. A search is also under way at the brothers' ancestral property in Wayanad, sources added.

Wide probe ordered into financial arrangements

The raids follow orders from Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan, who recommended a comprehensive investigation by a Special Investigation Team into how the deal was handled from the start. Investigators are focusing on the financial dealings surrounding the proposed sporting spectacle, as well as the official approvals that allowed the project to proceed.

A central focus of the enquiry is how Reporter Broadcasting Company was chosen as the event sponsor during the tenure of previous LDF government and whether any irregular decisions were taken to assist the firm. Officers will be looking into the origin and movement of funds, the agreements signed, and official trips taken abroad in connection with bringing the Argentine team to Kochi. The probe also involves reviewing official orders relating to the handover of the Kochi stadium.

Multiple agencies track funds and foreign transfers

The state investigation runs alongside an enquiry by the Enforcement Directorate, which is looking into allegations that 126 crore rupees were sent overseas in breach of foreign exchange regulations. Federal agents are examining payments made to foreign sports management firms, reviewing bank accounts, GST records, and paperwork from the state sports department. Investigators are also scrutinising external corporate entities and financial agencies that reportedly funded Reporter Broadcasting Company.

State authorities are assessing preliminary claims regarding money laundering, shell companies, and illicit money transfers, though these allegations remain unproven at this stage. Separately, the Kerala Vigilance Department is reviewing suspected financial irregularities involving Reporter TV and associated officials. What began as a grand sporting event announced under the previous Pinarayi Vijayan administration has now unravelled into a complex administrative and financial scandal.