Lottery King Martin's Empire Under Scrutiny: ED Seizes Rs 8.8 Crore

The Enforcement Directorate seized Rs 8.8 crore from Santiago Martin, Chennai's 'lottery king', amidst a money laundering inquiry. The ED's action follows the Madras High Court's approval to continue investigations into Martin's operations, implicating numerous locations and prior fraudulent activities tied to lottery sales.

The Enforcement Directorate continued its crackdown on the business empire of Chennai's 'lottery king,' Santiago Martin, by seizing Rs 8.8 crore in cash during raids on Friday. The latest searches are part of a comprehensive investigation into alleged money laundering activities by Martin.

The ED's actions were backed by a recent ruling from the Madras High Court, allowing the agency to pursue the case against Martin, despite earlier police decisions to close preliminary investigations. Search operations extended to multiple sites across Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Punjab, and West Bengal.

Martin's extensive involvement in the illegal lottery trade has come under scrutiny again, with previous attachments of assets worth Rs 457 crore by the ED. The agency continues to probe connections between Martin's business interests and significant financial irregularities.

(With inputs from agencies.)