Abkari case: Excise arrives at Anto Augustine’s mother-in-law’s house to issue notice

KALPETTA: The excise team arrived at the house of wife of Anto Augustine, managing director of Reporter Broadcasting Company, in the abkari case. They reached her house located in Koliyadi, Nenmeni in Wayanad. Based on information that Anto Augustine’s mother-in-law Lilly Jose is back home, the officials reached there to serve a notice for recording her statement. It is not clear whether she is there presently.

The Kalpetta Sessions Court had earlier rejected Lilly Jose’s anticipatory bail plea. She moved the bail plea following reports that the excise department would issue a notice to appear for questioning. The court accepted the defense's plea that if Lilly is named accused in the case, the arrest proceedings should be initiated only after serving her a prior notice.

Anto Augustine was arrested and later released on bail following a raid at his ancestral home in Vazhavatta, Wayanad, where an excessive stock of alcohol was found. A total of 43 liters of alcohol, including foreign-made liquor and illicit liquor, was seized from Anto's residence. Under Indian law, an individual is permitted to keep only up to three liters of liquor at home.

Anto Augustine informed the Sulthan Bathery court that the ownership of the ancestral home belongs to his mother-in-law. Anto had also testified in court that it was Lilly who bought the foreclosed house in the auction. Anto said that a case could not be registered against him as the property was presently under court attachment proceedings. Anto had also argued that he does not consume alcohol and that the house and property were put up for sale under the SARFAESI Act.

However, the investigating officers said that the house is indeed in Anto's name. To prove that the house belongs to Anto Augustine himself, the investigating officers had also produced details from the voters' list, the KSEB bill, and village records in court.