Future Gaming Solutions India Private Ltd, the company that has sought permission for sale of Nagaland lotteries in the state, has a dubious history of violating lottery regulation Act and Rules in the sale of Sikkim state lotteries in Kerala, according to a notice produced before the Kerala High Court on Tuesday.
Besides, the Government of Nagaland has not informed the Government of Kerala about its intention to sell its lottery tickets in the state.
The notice was issued by the Department of Lottery to Future Gaming Solutions India Private Ltd in response to an application seeking permission for sale of Nagaland lotteries.
Santiago Martin, the prime accused in lottery fraud cases, is a director of Future Gaming Solutions.
“It was revealed in an inquiry conducted on the sale of Sikkim lotteries that Future Gaming Solutions company had illegally printed Sikkim lotteries worth `60.65 crore in unauthorised printing presses and sold it in the state through Megha Distributors from April, 2010, to August 31, 2010,” the notice pointed out.
It was understood that the company was originally incorporated as Martin Lottery Agencies Private Ltd and later converted into Gaming Solutions company.
“The magnitude of violation of the lottery regulation Act, 1998, was clearly evident from the offences committed by the company. There is no reason to believe that the Company would not indulge in similar offences again.
“The present application for sale of Nagaland state lotteries is yet another attempt from the company to amass wealth illegally by cheating the public,” the notice said.
It said the CBI had taken up 32 cases in connection with violation of the lottery regulation Act and investigation is going on.
The violation of the Act had wreaked havoc and led to public fury, which was felt in the state Assembly also.
It is pointed out that the company did not furnish details of persons/firms involved in the sale of Nagaland lotteries.
“This is a clear violation of the statutory directions issued by the Central Government,” the notice stated.
The agreement by the company with Nagaland Government was void.
“Online lottery is banned in Kerala. But in the agreement, the distributor is entitled to conduct online lotteries.
“If the agency sells lotteries based on the illegal and ambiguous agreement, it gives room for the distributor to play fraud as is evident in the case of Sikkim and Bhutan lotteries,” the notice stated.
HC Disposes of Firm’s Plea
Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Tuesday disposed of a petition by a company of lottery kingpin Santiago Martin seeking a directive to the state government to consider the application for the registration of promoter for the sale of Nagaland lotteries in the state. Justice V Chitambaresh issued the order on a petition by Future Games Solutions India. The court recorded the submission of the Advocate-General that final orders on the application will be passed within one week. It recorded the submission of the state and held that no further direction was required at this juncture.