MHA orders enquiry by CAG into government run lottery schemes in Sikkim, Mizoram and Nagaland

NEW DELHI: Union Home Ministry has ordered an inquiry by Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) into the government run lottery schemes in the States of Sikkim, Mizoram and Nagaland. The move comes in the wake of recent raids by Income Tax and Enforcement Directorate in Kolkata and Siliguri where Rs50 crore linked to lottery mafia Santiago Martin was seized.

Investigations into the seizure also pointed that the money was meant to be distributed during Bihar elections and was part of illegal lottery scam. Home Minister Rajnath Singh also asked the three States to take remedial action after rampant charges of corruption in the lottery allotment were brought before him. Officials also said that a PIL has been filed before the Kolkata high court by a group of lawyers demanding a C&AG inquiry after which the matter was taken up with the Home Minister and it was decided to go ahead with an audit inquiry. As per the law, only state governments are allowed to run lotteries however large number of lottery schemes operating from North East is being controlled by private entities or individuals like Martin.

"The allegation against lotteries mafia and their collusion with State government officials needs to be unearthed. It was therefore decided that an audit will be conducted first based on which we can recommend further action like a CBI inquiry," said a top Home Ministry official. The C&AG audit will also aim to compile a data on the total number of tickets sold in different States and what were the deductions made from the winning lottery tickets. This is likely to provide the real estimates of loss to the exchequer," an official said.