Now Reading: Kerala opens probe into ₹156 crore GST evasion in Messi deal
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Kerala opens probe into ₹156 crore GST evasion in Messi deal
Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan confirmed that the Finance department is investigating suspected GST evasion of ₹156 crore on foreign remittances made by a television news company to the Argentine Football Association…
The Story in Brief
Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan confirmed that the Finance department is investigating suspected GST evasion of ₹156 crore on foreign remittances made by a television news company to the Argentine Football Association for a planned Lionel Messi visit in 2025. The probe will also examine whether government officials aided the evasion, after the previous LDF government's finance wing flagged the matter but took no further enforcement action. A Vigilance inquiry may follow if government funds are found to have been involved, causing loss to the exchequer.
The Sports department report alleges the sponsor transferred ₹126 crore to AFA without a signed contract, a potential FEMA violation, and that former sports minister V. Abdurahiman's trip to Spain to meet AFA officials cost the state ₹13 lakh without required clearances. CM Satheesan said the government has no records of the event and will decide on referring the case to central agencies in the coming days.
The Indian Opinion
Opposition will call this a political vendetta, but the core issue is whether public money and official machinery were misused. The previous government's own finance department flagged the evasion yet reportedly took no action, that silence needs explaining. The sports minister's Spain trip, the no-tender selection of a sponsor, and the missing contract with AFA all demand answers. The real test is whether the investigation ends with a chargesheet naming specific officials, not just a press conference.
Sources (2): thehindu.com, thefederal.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
