Messi Kerala visit fraud case: Ex-minister V Abdurahiman, private secy face potential prosecution

Thiruvananthapuram: In a major setback for the previous administration, former Kerala Sports minister V Abdurahiman and his then Private Secretary G R Ramesh are likely to be named as accused in the high-profile fraud case involving the promised visit of the Argentina national football team and Lionel Messi to Kerala.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has already recorded detailed statements from both individuals. According to preliminary findings, the Sports Department actively facilitated fund collection for a private sponsor under the guise of an official government sponsorship scheme, with investigative officers gathering key documentary evidence confirming these interventions.

The investigation is currently focusing on procedural lapses and unauthorised official channels, specifically how Reporter Broadcasting Company secured the contract to bring the Argentina team to the state, direct interventions by the Sports Ministry, the circumstances under which a schoolteacher acted as an official liaison in departmental communications, and the decision to finalise the sponsor before any official government sanction or order was formally issued.

Investigators have concluded that appointing a private sponsor prior to issuing a government order was not a procedural error, but part of a calculated move. By actively endorsing and promoting the event, the former minister effectively provided official credibility to the venture, enabling the sponsor to raise substantial funds from the public and commercial entities. Departmental records retrieved by the SIT indicate systematic orchestration at administrative levels, and legal experts note that if charges are formally framed against the former minister, provisions under the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA) will be invoked alongside penal charges.