The matter concerning the proposed Kerala tour by Lionel Messi and the Argentina team has now reached the stage of a financial and administrative investigation. The SIT has conducted raids at five locations, including the RBC office.
Thiruvananthapuram: What was announced as a major football event involving Lionel Messi and Argentina’s World Cup-winning team in Keralam has now become the subject of a multi-agency investigation. Authorities are examining alleged financial irregularities, the selection of the event sponsor, government permissions, the use of a stadium and purported arrangements with the Argentine Football Association (AFA).
The Keralam government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into the matter. On Wednesday, September 16, police carried out searches at five locations, including the office of Reporter Broadcasting Company (RBC) and premises linked to people associated with the company.
The searches followed an FIR registered by Kalamassery Police on Tuesday against RBC, its authorised signatory Anto Augustin and others. The case involves allegations of cheating and criminal conspiracy.
How the Messi-Keralam Plan Took Shape
The proposal to bring Messi and the Argentina national team to Keralam was announced publicly in 2023. In July that year, then Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman said Argentina would visit the state and that Messi would also be part of the programme.
The announcement generated widespread interest among football fans across Keralam. The event was planned with the involvement of a private sponsor, with RBC subsequently emerging as the project’s principal sponsor.
The sponsor-selection process later came under scrutiny during an investigation by the Sports Department. Questions were raised about the procedure followed and the documents connected with the selection.
According to the investigation report, a company called Gold and Global had initially approached the government regarding the event. The report stated that the company had been newly registered and had a capital base of around Rs 1 lakh at the time.
The Rs 250 Crore Claim
A significant part of the controversy centres on the figure of Rs 250 crore.
In April 2026, former Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman alleged that sponsors had arranged around Rs 250 crore for bringing the Argentina team to Keralam.
He claimed that substantial efforts had been made to mobilise funds for the team’s proposed visit, but Argentina ultimately did not travel to the state. He also referred to the possibility of legal action and compensation.
Questions Over the Alleged Rs 126 Crore Payment
Another major issue under examination is an alleged payment of approximately Rs 126 crore to the AFA.
According to the Sports Department’s investigation, the event sponsor claimed that around $15 million, equivalent to approximately Rs 126 crore at the time, had been paid to the Argentine Football Association.
An investigation report published in August 2026, however, said the documents available to authorities did not provide sufficient evidence that the AFA or the Argentina team had actually received the claimed amount.
The report also stated that the government did not have a clear record of a formal agreement between the Keralam government and the AFA.
As a result, investigators are examining the alleged foreign transfer in greater detail, including the banking channel through which the money was supposedly sent, the recipient entity and the service, agreement or contractual arrangement against which the payment was made.
ED Examines Rs 206 Crore Transactions
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also begun examining the financial trail associated with the proposed event.
In August 2026, the agency initiated a probe into alleged foreign transactions involving RBC under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).
Sources linked to the investigation said around Rs 206 crore was credited to an RBC-linked account by two separate external companies. Of this amount, approximately Rs 126 crore was allegedly transferred overseas.
Investigators are also examining the source and use of the remaining roughly Rs 80 crore.
GST-Related Allegations Also Under Probe
The controversy has also brought tax-related issues into focus.
A report that emerged in August 2026 referred to a GST investigation involving alleged tax evasion of up to Rs 25.78 crore. The Finance Department’s SIT reportedly recommended that relevant agencies carry out further investigation into the matter.
Another report referred to action by the GST Department over a service-tax liability of approximately Rs 22.68 crore involving the sponsor.
The figures emerging from the different investigations represent separate allegations and proceedings. They should therefore not be treated as identical liabilities or assumed to refer to one single transaction.
What is the SIT Looking Into?
The Keralam government set up the SIT in early September to conduct a detailed investigation into the entire controversy. The team is headed by ADGP P. Vijayan.
Its mandate covers the various stages of the proposed event, including the selection of private companies and intermediaries, the process used to choose the sponsor, the involvement of government officials, financial transactions and alleged overseas payments.
The SIT is also examining government permissions, concessions and the circumstances in which government property was made available for the proposed event.
Another question before investigators is whether any private entity received an undue advantage and whether the government or any public institution suffered financial losses as a result.
The team’s investigation also covers purported agreements and communications involving the AFA, Football Australia and other organisations connected with the proposed event.
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Kochi Stadium Deal Under Scrutiny
The Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium at Kaloor in Kochi was expected to host the proposed match and consequently forms another important part of the investigation.
The SIT is examining how the stadium was made available to a private organisation and the process through which permission was granted for repairs and other work at the venue.
According to the investigation report, steps were taken in September 2025 towards handing over the stadium to RBC. Investigators have also raised questions about an exemption involving a security deposit of around Rs 5 crore.
The stadium is government-owned and comes under the control of the Greater Cochin Development Authority.
Questions Raised Over the Spain Trip
Former Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman travelled to Spain with officials in September 2024. The stated objective of the trip was to invite the Argentina team to visit Keralam.
The Sports Department’s investigation subsequently raised questions about certain documents associated with the journey.
According to the report, there were no clear records establishing that the AFA had formally invited the minister or his delegation. Investigators are also examining the meetings held during the visit and what outcomes, if any, followed from those discussions.
Why Did the Argentina Visit Fall Through?
The proposed Argentina visit remained a subject of expectation among football supporters in Keralam for an extended period. However, the team’s eventual schedule did not include the proposed match in the state.
Preparations connected with the venue and event continued even as uncertainty surrounded the team’s programme. The planned appearance of Messi and the Argentina team in Keralam ultimately did not take place.
The issue received further attention after Messi travelled to India in December 2025 and attended events in Kolkata and Hyderabad.
FIR Registered Before Police Searches
The latest development came in September 2026, with the criminal investigation moving into an active search phase.
On Tuesday, September 15, Kalamassery Police registered an FIR naming RBC, Anto Augustin and others as accused. The FIR invokes Sections 318(2), 318(4) and 61 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
According to the police allegations, an agreement connected with the AFA contained purportedly incorrect provisions and there was an attempt to mislead the government machinery and the public.
On Wednesday, September 16, the SIT carried out searches at five locations. These included the RBC office and residential premises linked to people associated with the company. Locations in Kochi and Wayanad were also reportedly searched.
RBC has raised objections to the searches while stating that the company and its representatives are willing to cooperate with the investigation. The media organisation has also alleged that phones belonging to employees were seized.
Police have maintained that the searches were conducted as part of the legal procedure and that the action was recorded.
