Kanhangad (Kasaragod): Anto Augustine, associated with Reporter Channel, has reportedly appeared at the Kanhangad GST Office to give his statement regarding the alleged transfer of ₹126 crore to a foreign bank account, a sum purportedly intended to bring Argentine football star Lionel Messi to Kerala.

The Kanhangad GST office had previously issued a summons requesting the payment of ₹22.68 crore in service tax. Since the funds were transferred to an overseas account, the GST Department reportedly classified the transaction under the Reverse Charge Mechanism, requiring service tax to be paid. During the recording of his statement, Augustine reportedly argued that as Messi never visited Kerala, there is no liability to pay service tax.

However, GST officials reportedly maintained that since the money was transferred, the tax liability cannot be waived. The initiative to bring Messi to Kerala was reportedly spearheaded by the previous LDF government. The then Sports minister, V Abdurahiman, had publicly affirmed on multiple occasions that Messi would indeed visit the state; however, the visit failed to materialise. Meanwhile, the Intelligence wing of the Kanhangad GST Department launched an inquiry into the transaction.

The Intelligence wing of the GST Department in Kerala is authorised to conduct preliminary investigations and initiate further actions anywhere across the state without territorial limitations. A preliminary probe by a Kanhangad officer reportedly confirmed that the funds had been transferred and that the corresponding service tax had not been paid, prompting the issuance of an initial notice followed by a summons.

During the course of the investigation, the officer was reportedly transferred to Thiruvananthapuram, which temporarily stalled the file. Following the assumption of power by the UDF government, the file was reportedly reopened, leading to the reissuing of the summons and the subsequent recording of the statement.