---
title: " Anto Augustine Moves Kerala High Court for Bail, Says He Has No Connection with Wayanad House"
english_title: "Anto Augustine Bail Plea: Says Wayanad House Was Auctioned by SBI in 2022"
publisher: "Truevision English News"
canonical_url: "https://english.truevisionnews.com/news/383310/anto-augustine-bail-plea-wayanad-house-sbi-auction-2022"
published_at: "2026-09-18T16:26:00+05:30"
category: "Big Story"
language: "en"
image: "https://cf.zdn.im/img/truevisionnews.com/0/image-uploads/6aad191b0058e_anto-augustine-bail-plea-wayanad-house-sbi-auction-2022.jpg"
keywords: ["Anto Augustine", "Kerala High Court", "Wayanad Liquor Case", "Excise Department"]
---

#  Anto Augustine Moves Kerala High Court for Bail, Says He Has No Connection with Wayanad House

> **Lead Summary:** Kochi: Reporter Broadcasting Company MD Anto Augustine, who is currently in judicial custody in connection with a case involving the seizure of liquor from a house in Vazhavatta, Wayanad, has approached the Kerala High Court seeking bail. In his bail plea, Anto has primarily claimed that he has no connection with the house from which the liquor was allegedly seized and that the property was auctioned by the State Bank of India in 2022.

## Article Content

Kochi: Reporter Broadcasting Company MD Anto Augustine, who is currently in judicial custody in connection with a case involving the seizure of liquor from a house in Vazhavatta, Wayanad, has approached the Kerala High Court seeking bail. In his bail plea, Anto has primarily claimed that he has no connection with the house from which the liquor was allegedly seized and that the property was auctioned by the State Bank of India in 2022.

Justice Kausar Edappagath has sought the Excise Department’s response on the petition, and the case will be considered again at 4 pm. Anto approached the High Court after the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Sultan Bathery rejected his bail plea on Friday.

According to the case details, the Excise team seized 43.850 litres of foreign-made liquor and wine from a house in the Mutt il grama panchayat area on Wednesday evening. A case was subsequently registered under various provisions of the Abkari Act. Anto was arrested by the Excise team from Ernakulam on Thursday morning and was later remanded in judicial custody for 14 days.

Following his arrest and remand, Anto had submitted a bail application before the magistrate court. After the court rejected the plea, he approached the High Court without delay.In his High Court petition, Anto has argued that he has no ownership or possession of the house where the liquor was allegedly found. According to the petitioner, the property was auctioned by the State Bank of India in 2022 under the SARFAESI Act and was acquired at the auction by a person named Lilly Jose for ₹2 crore. The petitioner has stated that he has had neither ownership nor possession of the property for the past four years.

Anto has also claimed that he was not present at the location when the raid was conducted. He has argued that there is no evidence to establish that he sold liquor or that it was stored there for the purpose of sale.

The petition further argues that since the seized liquor consisted of foreign-made liquor from prominent brands, keeping an amount exceeding the permitted limit would constitute a bailable offence. Anto has also alleged that the required legal procedures were not followed during the raid and at the time of his arrest.

The petitioner has maintained that the preliminary investigation in the case has been completed and that the evidence is already in the custody of the Excise Department. On that basis, he has argued that further custody is unnecessary. Anto has requested bail, stating that he is prepared to comply with any conditions imposed by the court.

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- [Original Story Source](https://english.truevisionnews.com/news/383310/anto-augustine-bail-plea-wayanad-house-sbi-auction-2022)