After the Kerala Excise Department seized more than 64 litres of liquor from Moongananiyil House in Karappuzha, Muttil, Wayanad district, questions have arisen about who legally owned the property at the time of the raid. The dispute centres on a State Bank of India (SBI) sale certificate that records a 2022 e‑auction sale, while Muttil grama panchayat records continue to list former owner Ant Augustine as the title‑holder and tax payer.
Seizure and court proceedings
The excise raid uncovered 43.850 litres of Foreign Made Foreign Liquor, 1.244 litres of foreign wine, 6.250 litres of KSBC wine, a 750 ml bottle of Indian Made Foreign Liquor marked for military or canteen use, and 12.750 litres of an unspecified alcoholic liquid, bringing the total to 64.844 litres. The property, identified as building No 10/603 at Vazhavatta, Muttil, was presented to the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Sulthan Bathery as being owned by Ant Augustine, the managing editor of Reporter Broadcasting Company.
During a hearing on Augustine’s bail plea, his counsel submitted the SBI sale certificate to the High Court, asserting that Augustine no longer owned or possessed the house. The defence argued that the 2022 auction transferred both ownership and possession to the purchaser, thereby breaking any link between Augustine and the seized liquor.
SBI auction and sale certificate
The sale certificate reveals that the property had been mortgaged to SBI by Augustine as security for a loan extended to Asian Motors, based in Edappally, Kochi. After a repayment default, SBI initiated recovery proceedings and sold the house through an e‑auction held on 30 June 2022. The winning bidder, Lilly Jose, paid ₹2,00,10,000, and the certificate states that both the property and its possession were transferred to her.
According to the certificate, the land measures 14.67 ares (approximately 36.25 cents) and includes a building with a covered area of 4.55 ares, or about 4,897 square feet. The building certificate produced by the Excise Department lists a larger covered area of 983 square metres (roughly 10,581 square feet), but both documents refer to the same structure located near the Karappuzha reservoir on the Karappuzha‑Kakkavayal road with access to NH 766.
Panchayat records, tax payments and family links
Despite the 2022 sale, Muttil panchayat records still show Augustine’s name attached to the house. The panchayat’s building‑tax ledger records a payment of ₹8,472 made on 18 March 2026 for the 2025‑26 financial year, and the property schedule for the year continues to list Augustine as the owner. The discrepancy arises because Lilly Jose, the purchaser, did not apply for mutation of the land records at the Sub‑Registrar’s Office after the auction, leaving the official land‑registry entry unchanged.
Further investigation has highlighted the family relationship between the parties. Lilly Jose is Augustine’s mother‑in‑law; her husband, K J Jose, is the managing director and statutory director of Reporter Broadcasting Company, which owns the Reporter TV channel. Augustine serves as the channel’s managing editor and managing director, while his brothers Roji Augustine and Josekutty Augustine hold the positions of chairman and vice‑chairman respectively.
Excise officials have sought information on the whereabouts of Lilly Jose and K J Jose following Augustine’s arrest. The couple is reported to be residing at a house in Koliyadi near Sulthan Bathery. Their continued residence in the district adds a layer of complexity to the inquiry, as authorities attempt to determine whether any control or benefit from the seized liquor could be traced to them.
The core issues under scrutiny are whether the property was formally mutated in Lilly Jose’s name after the 2022 auction, who actually possessed the premises thereafter, and whether Augustine retained any control that could link him to the liquor found during the excise raid. The Excise Department’s custody application emphasizes the need to establish the source of the seized alcohol, including the possibility that some of it was imported during foreign trips or obtained through other channels.
Legal experts note that the outcome may hinge on documentation such as the SBI sale certificate, registration and mutation records, panchayat building and tax ledgers, and any evidence of actual possession after the auction. The case underscores how discrepancies between banking records and local government registers can complicate criminal investigations, especially when family ties intersect with corporate interests.
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