SIT probe into Messi's 'Kerala visit' begins

The controversy over the visit of Lionel Messi and the Argentina national football team to Kerala has now moved into a full-fledged high-level investigation, with the V.D.Satheesan government on Thursday formally constituting a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the financial transactions and allegations surrounding the much publicised announcement.

It was during the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left government that the announcement of Messi's proposed visit first took place in 2024. Promises were repeated that he would arrive, but 2025 passed and 2026's first quarter also passed, with the football legend's visit never happening.

ADGP P. Vijayan will head the SIT, with two Superintendents of Police and officers drawn from the Crime Branch, Vigilance and local police expected to be part of the team.

The decision follows the Advocate General's legal opinion on the constitution of the SIT and comes after reports submitted by the Sports Department and the GST Department were examined by the government.

The investigation is set to go well beyond the question of whether Messi and the Argentina team were actually scheduled to visit Kerala.

At its centre will be the financial trail behind the announcement, including allegations surrounding large overseas payments purportedly linked to the Argentine Football Association.

One of the most significant claims to be examined is that Rs 126 crore was transferred to foreign accounts through a US-based agency in the name of making payments to the Argentine Football Association.

The SIT is expected to scrutinise bank records, agreements, company accounts, and details of the entities involved to establish where the money came from, where it went and for what purpose.

The alleged role of Reporter Broadcasting Company (RBC) in the financial transactions is also likely to come under detailed scrutiny.

Investigators will examine the agreements entered into, the nature of the sponsorship arrangement and whether the transactions were backed by valid contractual obligations.

The Rs 22.68-crore GST evasion allegation flagged by GST Intelligence adds another significant dimension to the probe.

The SIT is expected to examine whether the correct tax liability was disclosed and whether the valuation and nature of the transactions were accurately reported.

The selection of the sponsor will also be investigated, particularly whether the process was transparent and whether there was a valid agreement between the state government, the sponsor, and the Argentine Football Association.

Any irregularity in the handing over of the stadium, allegedly in violation of prescribed rules, will also be examined.

The foreign trip undertaken by former Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman is another aspect that will come under the scanner.

The SIT will examine the circumstances and purpose of the trip and whether it had any connection with the proposed Argentina team's visit or the financial arrangements.

Given the international nature of the transactions, information gathered by the state police, GST authorities and central agencies could prove crucial.

The Enforcement Directorate is also examining possible FEMA-related violations.

For Kerala's passionate football fans, the investigation now seeks to answer a very different question from the one that generated the original excitement: what exactly happened to the money behind the promise of bringing Messi and Argentina to the state?

The SIT's findings could ultimately determine whether the controversy was merely the result of a failed footballing ambition or whether serious financial and procedural irregularities lay behind it.