THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Live telecast of the draw of lots, setting up of more offices of the Lottery Department in other districts and revising the prize structure are some of the reforms that the state government intends to implement to check illegal lotteries operating in the state.
This was stated by Finance Minister Thomas Isaac during a reply to a notice for adjournment motion by V D Satheesan of the Congress who demanded stringent action against the proliferation of illegal lotteries in the state.
Isaac admitted that illegal lottery, popularly known as ‘ezhuthu lottery’ was thriving in the state. He said that illegal lottery operators lured the gullible public by offering prizes to those who correctly predicted the last three to four digits of the prize-winning Kerala State Lotteries. He said a total of 544 cases had been registered against illegal lottery operators over the past five years, of which the majority - 291- were registered in Malappuram. He said a task force headed by IG Balram Kumar Upadhyaya with two SPs, two DYSPs and cyber cell police had been constituted to check activities of illegal lottery operators.
Earlier, speaking on the notice for adjournment motion, Satheesan alleged that lottery operator Santiago Martin and a lottery agency in Kannur were behind the flourishing of illegal lotteries in the state.
However, his remark that prominent leaders of the CPM had links with Martin, created a ruckus in the House. Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala, who spoke on the issue, wondered how people like Santiago Martin stepped up their activities when the LDF government came to power.