# Kerala SIT raids Reporter TV, Augustine homes in Messi scam probe 2026-09-16T04:27:11+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 3 independent outlets Kerala Police's Special Investigation Team on Wednesday searched five locations linked to Reporter Broadcasting Corporation as part of the probe into the failed Lionel Messi visit to Kerala. The raids covered the Reporter TV office in Kochi, the residences of the Augustine brothers, and their family home in Wayanad. The SIT is examining how Reporter was chosen as sponsor during the previous LDF government and whether any irregular decisions were taken. Separately, the Enforcement Directorate is investigating allegations that Rs 126 crore were sent overseas in violation of foreign exchange rules. Reporter TV alleged police barged into its newsroom and seized journalists' mobile phones, disrupting broadcast operations. The channel said the court order did not authorise a newsroom search. Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan condemned the action as an attack on media freedom, comparing it to raids on NewsClick. Police said they did not know it was the newsroom and did not intend to disrupt news. The proposed visit of Messi and the Argentina football team was announced under the previous LDF administration but never materialised. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Mathrubhumi's neutral report focuses on the SIT investigation and financial probe into the Messi event, while Hindustan Times and The Federal foreground the opposition's media freedom allegations against the police raid. The critical framing omits the court warrant authorizing searches, and the neutral framing omits the newsroom seizure allegations. The balanced reading is that a legitimate financial probe intersected with a contested police action at a news outlet, with the opposition framing it as an attack on press freedom. The next flashpoint will be the Enforcement Directorate's findings on the Rs 126 crore foreign transfers. ## Coverage - english.mathrubhumi.com (pro government) Led with financial probe and CM-ordered SIT, omitted newsroom seizure allegations - hindustantimes.com (government critical) Led with channel's disruption claim and opposition's media freedom attack - thefederal.com (neutral report) Balanced both police search details and channel's newsroom allegation Tags: Enforcement Directorate, Kerala Police, Lionel Messi, Pinarayi Vijayan, Reporter TV, SIT Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/kerala-sit-searches-five-sites-in-messi-event-financial-probe/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/kerala-sit-searches-five-sites-in-messi-event-financial-probe/#story-in-brief