Top News

Kerala Opposition Leader VD Satheesan said the inquiry into the controversy over Lionel Messi and Argentina’s proposed visit to Kerala has been completed. The government will act on the Sports Department’s recommendations. A GST Department SIT will probe alleged tax irregularities, with Satheesan claiming the controversy caused a loss of over Rs 22 crore to the state exchequer.

Thiruvananthapuram: Keralam Chief Minister VD Satheesan on Tuesday said the inquiry into the controversy surrounding football icon Lionel Messi's proposed visit to the state has been completed and the state government will take action based on the recommendations, while noting that the alleged irregularities have caused a loss of more than Rs 22 crore to the state exchequer.

CM Satheesan said the Sports Department had completed its examination of the matter and the recommendations would now be forwarded to the concerned department. He also said the GST Department has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged GST fraud linked to the controversy.

"The examination related to the issue has been completed, and a decision will be taken soon based on the complaint submitted by the Sports Department Secretary. The inquiry has been completed, and recommendations on the action to be taken will be sent to the concerned department," Satheesan said.

"The GST Department has constituted a Special Investigation Team to probe the alleged GST fraud. As I had said earlier, there has been a GST irregularity. This was not something discovered by our government; the previous LDF government itself had detected it and issued a notice. The subsequent freezing of the proceedings will also be investigated. The government has suffered a loss of more than Rs 22 crore in this matter," he added.