KOCHI: A lottery ticket which won a Tamil Nadu native Rs 40 lakh and 50 sovereigns of gold in 2011 while on a Sabrimala pilgrimage, will finally reach the recipient after a six years and a prolonged legal battle with the Kerala government.
Radhakrishnan from Dindigul, TN, had won the first prize for the Win Win ticket he bought while on a tea break, enroute to a Sabarimala pilgrimage in 2011. While the ticket won the first prize, the directorate of lotteries was reluctant to pay the amount despite repeated requests.
The Kerala High Court, in its order on April 12, directed the State government to hand over either the 50 gold sovereigns or its value in cash to Radhakrishnan. "A finality shall be attained within a period of two months, failing which the responsible officer will have to pay 10 per cent interest from the date on which the petitioner won the lottery," the court held.
The Kerala government- the issuing authority of the lottery, had refused to pay Radhakrishnan cash for the gold saying a detailed inquiry was required as he was from another State, and his ticket would have to be verified.
Radhakrishnan approached the High Court when, even after four years, the amount had not been handed over to him. The court, in 2015, had directed the State government to pay him the amount and hand over the gold.
After deducting income tax and the agent's commission, Radhakrishnan received Rs 24,50,000 but approached the court again, saying he was yet to receive the gold.
The lotteries department submitted that the fund for gold was not sanctioned and would be distributed immediately once the government did so.