Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi (SR)

New Delhi, May 4: The Income Tax department found unaccounted money trail of Rs 595 crore from searches at 70 premises belonging to lottery king Martin Santiyago in Coimbatore, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai and Delhi. The searches began on April 30.

As per TOI report, a senior income tax investigation official said, "The assessee in Martin group admitted unaccounted income of Rs 595 crore received from stockists toward manipulation of PWT (prize-winning tickets). He further admitted to offering additional unaccounted income after reconciliation of Rs 619 crore of unaccounted receipts and payments made for various investments.

“We have kept the remaining cash under prohibitory orders. During searches we also found gold and diamond jewellery which were not accounted for to the extent of Rs 24.57 crore,” said the official.

Martin Santiyago was in the news in the past when he paid income tax of Rs 50 crore in 2004. He shifted his base to North India to continue his business when the then Chief Minister Jayalalitha had banned lottery business in Tamilnadu.