Investigators suspect potential procurement links to areas such as the Union Territory of Mahe and will also probe whether the alcohol was sourced from abroad

The Judicial First Class Magistrate’s Court I in Sulthan Bathery, Wayanad, on Saturday remanded Anto Augustine, managing director and managing editor of Reporter TV, into the custody of the Excise Department for a day.

The legal proceedings arise from an investigation initiated under the Abkari Act after Excise officers raided his ancestral residence in Vazhavatta, Wayanad district, on Thursday, seizing about 67 litres of liquor, an amount substantially exceeding the legally permissible limit.

Magistrate Adheena Biju entertained the custody application though the Excise Department had initially sought a four-day period to trace the source of the liquor. Investigators suspect potential procurement links to areas such as the Union Territory of Mahe and will also probe whether the alcohol was sourced from abroad.

Besides, his passport will be examined to trace his international travel. The court ultimately granted custody for 24 hours, expiring at 12 p.m. on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the defence countered the prosecution’s arguments by questioning the ownership of the property where the alcohol was seized.

After hearing submissions from both parties, the court sanctioned the brief custody period to allow the investigating authorities to interrogate Augustine and ascertain whether further regulatory or criminal offences have occurred.