HC grants bail to Anto Augustine with strict conditions in abkari case

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court has granted bail to Reporter TV managing director Anto Augustine in the case of possessing liquor beyond the permissible quantity. The court granted bail with strict conditions. Anto Augustine approached the high court after the Sultan Bathery First Class Magistrate Court initially rejected his bail plea. The court had earlier stated that interim bail could not be granted.

When the case came up for hearing today, both the defence and the prosecution presented their arguments. However, the bench of Justice Kausar Edappagath granted bail subject to conditions.

Bail is generally granted in cases involving Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL). It is understood that the court considered factors including the fact that Anto Augustine has no previous cases against him while granting bail. The details will become clear only after the judgment containing the order is released.

The court granted bail to Anto Augustine subject to conditions, including appearing before the investigating officer at specified intervals and refraining from influencing witnesses in the case or attempting to destroy evidence. His lawyer argued that the house where the liquor was seized did not belong to him, that he did not consume alcohol, and that the house and property had been put up for sale under the SARFAESI Act.

Director General of Prosecution T Asif Ali, who appeared for the government, strongly opposed bail. The prosecution argued before the court that the accused had not cooperated with the excise department’s questioning. To establish that the house belonged to Anto Augustine, the government also produced voter-list details, a KSEB bill, and village records before the court.