Messi match row: Kerala police raid TV channel office
Kerala police’s special investigation team raided five sites, including Reporter Broadcasting Company’s office, over alleged cheating in a failed plan to bring Lionel Messi’s Argentina team to Kochi. The raid follows an FIR accusing the channel’s managing director and the company of conspiracy, financial misappropriation and tax evasion, prompting political criticism over press freedom.
- ✓Kerala police’s special investigation team raided five sites, including Reporter Broadcasting Company’s office, over alleged cheating in a failed plan to bring Lionel Messi’s Argentina team to Kochi.
- ✓The raid follows an FIR accusing the channel’s managing director and the company of conspiracy, financial misappropriation and tax evasion, prompting political criticism over press freedom.
- ✓Civic Domain: Categorized under politics public notices.
On Wednesday, a special investigation team of the Kerala Police conducted raids at five locations, notably the headquarters of Reporter Broadcasting Company (RBC), the parent of Reporter TV, as part of a probe into alleged fraud surrounding a promised Messi‑led Argentina match in Kochi.
The operation came after Kochi city police filed an FIR naming RBC’s managing director Anto Augustine and the company as primary suspects in a criminal conspiracy that allegedly involved fabricated agreements with the Argentina Football Association before December 2024. Authorities claim the scheme misled the state into handing over the international stadium to RBC, resulting in alleged financial gains, misappropriation of funds and tax evasion. Police officials stated they documented the search, seized relevant documents, and refuted reports that journalists’ mobile phones were confiscated.
Opposition figures have condemned the raid, comparing it to tactics used during India’s Emergency period and warning of threats to media independence. The Kerala Sports Department’s earlier review had uncovered irregularities in RBC’s claims, and the incident intensifies debate over accountability in public‑private sports initiatives and the safeguarding of press freedom in the state.
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| Issuing Authority | The Indian Express National |
|---|---|
| Topic Category | POLITICS |
| Jurisdiction | KL State |
| Publication Date | 16 September 2026 |