Former sports minister Abdurahiman to be grilled in Messi row

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Reports say former sports minister V Abdurahiman will be questioned by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in connection with a case involving an alleged multi-crore fraud on the promise of bringing Lionel Messi and the Argentina national football team to Kerala.

He will be grilled after examining the documents seized from the office of Reporter TV. The documents seized by the SIT will be produced before the court today. The SIT will also submit an application before the court today seeking permission to send the mobile phone and laptop for forensic examination.

Managing editor Anto Augustine is the first accused, while Reporter Broadcasting Company is the second accused. The charges include cheating, fraud, and conspiracy. The case was registered based on a complaint filed by P Vikraman, a member of the SIT, following a preliminary investigation.

The raid was conducted by a team led by Thrikkakara Assistant Police Commissioner Binoy Chandran, who is also an officer in the SIT headed by ADGP P Vijayan. The raid began around 6 am yesterday and concluded at around 2:30 am Thursday early morning.

The FIR says that Anto and others had been engaged in a conspiracy since December 2024. The accused allegedly inserted false and illegal clauses into an agreement made with the Argentine Football Association, thereby deceiving the government and others and making unlawful gains.