The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing alleged financial irregularities in the proposed Lionel Messi event in Kerala conducted searches at the Reporter Broadcasting Company (RBC) office in Kalamassery and the residences of its directors in Kochi and Wayanad on Wednesday, September 16, morning. Journalists working morning shift in the Reporter TV newsroom have alleged that the police took away their phones during the search.
The searches were carried out based on a court warrant, according to investigation officer Bijoy Chandran. The SIT is probing allegations of financial loss to the government in connection with the initiative to bring Messi and the Argentina national football team to Kerala.
“This search is based on the inquiry into the alleged loss caused to the government in connection with the promise to bring Messi to Kerala. And It was formed to enquire into this and we are here with a court warrant,” Chandran told the media during the search.
He alleged that those at the premises were not cooperating with the police.
“They are not cooperating with us. They are not ready to accept the search notice or open the premises for us. We have also informed them that they can communicate only in our presence until the search is over,” he said.
The police reached the Reporter TV office in Kalamassery in the early hours as part of the searches at five locations.
The SIT was formed to examine alleged irregularities surrounding the previous government's efforts to bring the Argentina team and Messi to Kerala. Its investigation covers the financial transactions associated with the proposed event, the process through which the private sponsor was selected and allegations of financial loss to the state.
The probe had also flagged an alleged tax liability of Rs 25.78 crore involving Reporter Broadcasting Company Private Limited. The financial transactions linked to the proposed event included a reported remittance of around Rs 126 crore to the Argentine Football Association (AFA).
The Reporter TV has played the police action. Journalists at the organisation said police entered the newsroom and seized their phones. They also questioned the police presence at the news desk and said the action disrupted the functioning of the newsroom.
Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan strongly criticised the police action at the Reporter TV office, alleging that the search interfered with the functioning of journalists.
“The Kerala Police action of entering the Reporter TV news desk and disrupting news transmission is highly condemnable,” Vijayan said in a statement.
He alleged that a group of police personnel entered the Kochi news desk early in the morning and took away journalists' phones.
“An atmosphere of terror was created for around one-and-a-half hours. The police also recorded visuals of journalists,” he said.
Vijayan described the action as an attack on media freedom and said the Chief Minister and Home Minister should respond to it.
“The Chief Minister and the Home Minister are the ones who must answer for this attack on the media. I strongly condemn this despicable attack on media freedom,” he said.
He also compared the police action to incidents involving media organisations in other parts of the country, including the police action against NewsClick, saying the incident in Kerala amounted to an attempt to silence the media.
The Ernakulam district committee of the Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) also protested against the police action at the Reporter TV office.
KUWJ Ernakulam district president R Gopakumar and secretary M Shajil Kumar said the police entry into a media organisation was “highly condemnable” and an act that interfered with journalists' freedom to work.
The committee said the seizure of journalists' phones and the police presence at the news desk were unacceptable.
It said complaints would be submitted to the Chief Minister, Home Minister and Director General of Police over the incident.
The KUWJ district committee also said it had contacted the Home Minister's office and registered its strong protest against the police action.
The searches are part of the SIT's wider investigation into the proposed Messi event and the financial and administrative decisions associated with the project.