Thiruvananthapuram, September 18 – Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala dismissed allegations that police acted with high‑handedness during a raid on the office of the Malayalam news channel Reporter Broadcasting Company (RBC). He said the search was carried out in accordance with legal procedures and that the government had taken very transparent steps in the controversy surrounding the failed visit of the Argentina football team, which was sponsored by RBC.
Chennithala explained that an SIT composed of senior officials under the ADGP (Law and Order) had been given complete freedom to investigate. He said the government had not instructed the police to arrest or not arrest any particular person, and that the raid was related to a fraud case in which RBC is the second accused. An FIR had been registered at Kalamassery police station and searches were carried out at five locations after obtaining court‑issued warrants.
The minister noted that independent witnesses were present and the entire proceedings were videographed. He denied that any journalist was assaulted or treated badly, and said the police only asked staff to set aside their phones, which were returned immediately. He added that the channel’s broadcast was not disrupted for a minute and that the police had not seized any mobile phones, contrary to the channel’s claims.
Chennithala referred to incidents during the previous LDF government, noting the arrest of a senior journalist and the search of a prominent Malayalam news channel’s office. He said there is no emergency‑like situation against the media in Kerala today and that the UDF government will continue to support the press. The police said the searches were part of a probe into alleged financial irregularities linked to the Messi‑Argentina event.
