Martin, Kennedy too under CBI scanner

KOCHI: The 32 lottery cases which will now be handed over to the CBI will include two cases charged against Santiago Martin and John Kennedy, the case related to the fire at the administration office of Megha Distributors in Palakkad and the case against John Kennedy for the transportation of 30 lakh illegal Sikkim lottery tickets.The cases against Santiago Martin, former national promoter of Bhutan and Sikkim lotteries, and John Kennedy, its former Kerala distributor, were slapped by the Fort and Museum police stations here last year.The Fort police had charged that they had distributed fake Bhutan lottery tickets printed in non-security presses.The Museum police had registered a case against Martin and Kennedy on the basis of the Sibi Mathews report which uncovered the wide spectrum of violations by the lottery mafia.The Museum police, on the directions of the DGP, had charged a case against five owners of a non-security press in Sivakasi for printing fake lottery tickets.The investigation is currently handled by Crime Detachment Assistant Commissioner Ajay Babu.The case related to the fire at the administrative office of Megha Distributors in Palakkad on September 12, 2010, is the other major case that will now be taken over by the CBI.The fire had destroyed ten computers and a huge lot of lottery tickets, the draw of which had been conducted. The total damage amounted to Rs 2 lakh. The analysis report submitted by the police had found traces of engine oil and diesel. This pointed to arson and an investigation was ordered under IPC Section 436.On August 22, 2010, a vehicle carrying 30 lakh Sikkim lottery tickets was confiscated at the Commercial Tax check post at Walayar.Sales Tax officials found that the tickets were brought in without paying the requisite advance tax. Further, it was charged that Kerala distributor John Kennedy had not informed the state government of the change in lottery scheme. The tickets were printed in a non-security press in Sivakasi. This case, too, will now be probed by the CBI.