Kochi : Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered a case to investigate the alleged financial irregularities by Anto Augustine and Reporter Broadcasting Company Pvt Ltd in the unsuccessful plan to bring footballer Lionel Messi and the Argentina national team to Keralam.
ED has considered an FIR registered by Kalamassery Police on Sept 15 as the predicate offence for its investigation. As per the FIR, the company, its authorised signatory Augustine and others entered into a conspiracy sometime before Dec 20, 2024. The FIR alleged that illegal and false details were added to an agreement made with Argentine Football Association on Dec 20, 2024, with the intention of duping the state govt and public. The accused also acted together to get custody of Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in Kochi, securing exemption from a Rs 5-crore security deposit on Sept 26, 2025.
But a report prepared by the Kerala sports department after UDF govt came to power flagged serious procedural and financial lapses in the whole deal, triggering the investigation.