One of the FIRs was for his alleged remark about Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan having contracted a second marriage. The other crime was registered for allegedly defrauding the government in a failed attempt to bring the Argentina football team and Lionel Messi to Kerala.

Sri. K.K.Balakrishnan, Sessions Judge dismissed the bail pleas after the investigating officer submitted that there is no intent to arrest Augustine at present.

“Prosecution reported that there is no need of arrest of the petitioner in this case and if any step is to be taken as coercive in nature advance notice will be issued to him. So there is no basis for apprehension of arrest of the petitioner in this case. In case the respondent wants to proceed against the petitioner in the above crime, notice u/s. 35(3) of BNSS shall be issued,” the Court observed.

Remark about CM

The prosecution allegation was that Augustine along with two other accused entered into a conspiracy and with the intention of humiliating the Chief Minister, they knowingly possessed and circulated fabricated documents.

It is alleged that the other accused approached Augustine at a public programme with certain documents, claiming that the CM married another woman in 2021 while his existing marriage was subsisting, and Augustine retained these to publicly humiliate the CM.

The offences alleged are those under Sections 336 (4), 337, 61 (2), 356 (3), 340 (2) and 339 of BNS.

Augustine contended that the statements were made during a seminar on responsible journalism and that refrained from publishing the documents after finding that these were fabricated. He argued that the FIR is based on a distorted version of his speech and that it is politically motivated.

Messi Row

The prosecution has alleged that Augustine, the authorized signatory of Reporter Broadcasting Private Limited, hatched a conspiracy with the intention of cheating the government and the general public. It is alleged that they incorporated illegal and false clauses in an agreement dated 20.12.2024 entered into with the Argentina Football Association and thereby deceived the government of Kerala and others, causing wrongful gain to the accused.

It is further alleged that on 26.09.2025, the accused took steps to have the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium at Kaloor, owned by the government and under the control of the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA), handed over to the company and to waive security deposit of ₹5 crore.

The offences alleged are those under Section 318(2), 318(4), 61 and 3(5) BNS.

Augustine submitted that allegation arise out of a commercial and contractual transaction relating to the event, in which he was only acting as an authorized signatory of the company and that he derived no personal gain.

It was contended that the transaction was pursuant to government order, official permissions and that the agreement with the Argentina Football Association was entered into with the knowledge and approval of the competent authorities. Moreover, the use of the stadium was effected through the authorities as well.

There was no fraudulent inducement or wrongful gain and the company itself paid USD 14.5 million to the Association, obtained the requisite permissions, and, thereafter, after the event failed, initiated arbitration proceedings to recover the money paid, he added. He pointed out that since the allegations are based on documentary evidence already with the authorities, there is no need for custodial interrogation.

Case Nos: BA 2097/2026 and BA 2129/2026

Case Titles: Anto Augustine v. State of Kerala

Counsel for petitioner: C.S. Bissimon, S. Rajeev, Visakh Johnson

Counsel for the respondent: Manoj G. Krishnan - Public Prosecutor

Click to Read/Download Order in BA 2097/2026

Click to Read/Download Order in BA 2129/2026