THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a major crackdown on lottery mafia, the State Lotteries Department has begun to act tough and suspended the licence of the Kannur-based Manju Lotteries, one of its leading agents. Three more major agencies, who have also been allegedly involved in illegal online trade, are expected to get the boot very soon.
‘Express’ had exposed the ongoing racket even after the ban imposed on other-state lotteries in the state.
“The action is just a beginning. We are closely monitoring three more leading agents involved in the illegal trade of other-state and online lotteries. We don’t want to divulge further details. But definitely action will be taken against them soon,’’ State Lotteries Director Biju Prabhakar told ‘Express’.
“The Department would urge more stringent measures against the suspended agency. We have written to the government to book the proprietor of the agency for a thorough investigation into the allegations of his connections with the lottery mafia,’’ Prabhakar said.
"The staff of the agency were booked under the Kerala Gaming Act now. We want the agency to be charged under the Lotteries (Regulation) Act 1998 as well,’’ Prabhakar added.
'Express’ on November 4 reported that the Lotteries Department was sitting on a report filed by the District Lottery Officer, Kannur, seeking action against Manju Lotteries, which was caught red-handed by the Thalassery police for illegal online trade.
The Lottery Agents’ Association had earlier alleged that some leading agents of the State Lotteries were given training by Santiago Martin, the kingpin of the illegal lottery trade in the country. The agents had reportedly attended the two-week training at Martin’s office in Coimbatore in September and had been actively carrying out the illegal ‘paperless’ trade since then.
From Tuesday onwards the nearly thousand sub-agencies of Manju Lotteries cannot sell the State Lotteries.
“We are not at all bothered if clampdown on the leading agents results in a fall in sales. The main purpose of State Lotteries is not profit-making, but to provide a livelihood for the disadvantaged. Also, we are taking several steps to encourage small and medium-level agents in the future,’’ the director said.
“And, in fact, our latest sales figures paint a much rosier picture. After the police action against its two agencies, our total sales in the state rose by `1.5 lakh per day. Any action against the illegal trade will only boost our business,’’ he asserted.
Meanwhile, the Lottery Agents’ Association has welcomed the move of the Lotteries Department. “For many of our members, including women and the handicapped, sale of state lotteries is the only source of income. But, of late, our sales have started falling significantly owing to the illegal sales. We want the government to initiate more such actions and rein in the mafia,’’ Association president Purushothama Bharathi said.