The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached immovable properties worth ₹19.59 crore under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) in the case against Santiago Martin, also known as ‘lottery king’ and others. Attached properties consist of various immoveable properties in the form of vacant lands situated in Tamil Nadu.
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ED initiated money laundering investigation on the basis of charge sheet filed by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Kochi against Martin and others under the Sections of IPC, 1860 and Lotteries (Regulation) Act, 1998.
According to a statement issued by ED, investigation under PMLA revealed that the partners of M/s. M.J. Associates, Santiago Martin and N. Jayamurugan, made unlawful gain with a corresponding loss to the government of Sikkim to the extent of ₹910.29 crore on account of inflating the prize winning tickets claim for the period from April 2009 to August 2010, which is nothing but proceeds of crime under the PMLA, 2002.
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Martin, his companies and others have invested the 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 the same as untainted properties. His companies M/s. Future Gaming & Hotel Services Private Limited M/s. Martin Builders Private Limited, M/s. Daison Land & Development Private Limited have acquired immovable properties worth ₹19.59 crore from the loans and advances given by him and his family members. Earlier ED has attached assets worth ₹258 crore. With the present attachment, total attachment in the case has reached to ₹277.59 crore. Further investigation is under progress.
