Lottery fraud: ED attaches assets worth Rs 19.59 cr

CHENNAI: Continuing action against lottery king Santiago Martin who is facing investigation for allegedly cheating Sikkim government, the Enforcement Directorate provisionally attached lands that he and his partners owned across Tamil Nadu, worth Rs 19.59 crore, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

The agency said in a statement that it had initiated investigation on the basis of charge sheet filed by the Anti-Corruption Bureau of CBI’s Kochi unit against Martin and others under IPC and Lotteries (Regulation) Act, 1998.

Investigation revealed that Martin and N Jayamurugan, the partners of MJ Associates, made unlawful gain with a corresponding loss to the government of Sikkim to the extent of Rs 910,29,87,566 (Rs 910.29 crore) by inflating the prize-winning tickets claim from April 2009 to August 2010, it said.

Martin, his companies and others have invested parts of the proceeds of crime generated from lottery business in immovable properties through more than 40 companies, which were created in the name of their family members and other associates, to project them as untainted properties.

The agency added that Martin’s companies – Future Gaming and Hotel Services Pvt Ltd, Martin Builders Pvt Ltd, Daison Land and Development Pvt Ltd – acquired immovable properties worth Rs 19.59 crore from loans and advances given by Santiago Martin and his family members. Earlier, ED had attached his assets worth Rs 258 crore. Including the present attachment, total value of the assets attached in the case has reached Rs 277.59 crore.