Janeesh Stands by Probe into Alleged Irregularities in Argentina Match Bid

Kerala’s Sports Minister O.J. Janeesh has firmly backed the decision to form a Special Investigation Team to examine the previous government’s attempt to host Lionel Messi and the Argentina football team.
Speaking on Thursday, Janeesh responded to criticism from former Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman, who had questioned the need for the probe.
The minister said the investigation rests on findings from a Sports Department report that pointed to serious procedural shortcomings and financial concerns.
“Large-scale financial irregularities are part of this,” Janeesh stated, adding that the government acted on the evidence available to it.
He stressed that the facts must emerge clearly through the SIT process and that several aspects of the earlier proposal required closer scrutiny.
Among the questions raised were whether proper permissions had been secured for an event in Kerala, how the private sponsor was selected, and whether the financial capacity of the organiser had been adequately verified.
The earlier plan, announced under the previous Left Democratic Front government, envisaged a high-profile friendly match in Kochi involving Messi and the Argentina side.
The event never materialised, leaving many football fans disappointed and prompting repeated calls for clarity.
Janeesh noted that the sponsor appeared to have limited paid-up capital relative to the scale of the proposed multi-crore project.
He also highlighted the need to examine whether government machinery and public assets, including stadium facilities, had been appropriately used.
Former minister Abdurahiman has maintained that all required procedures were followed and that the state suffered no financial loss, as the arrangement was primarily between the private sponsor and the Argentine Football Association.
The current United Democratic Front government, however, has constituted the SIT under senior police leadership to conduct a detailed inquiry.
The probe is expected to look into administrative decisions, financial transactions linked to the proposal, and related compliance issues.
Officials have indicated that the investigation will cover the entire sequence of events from the initial planning stages.