A transfer petition regarding the civil defamation case filed by lottery king Santiago Martin in the Gangtok Court to Kerala has been requested by CPM leader and former finance minister Thomas Isaac who approached the Supreme Court on Thursday, May 25.
Isaac was previously sued for defamation when Santiago Martin claimed that several of Isaac’s comments during a news conference while serving as the state’s finance minister were false and defamatory. The current petition was submitted by former standing counsel G Prakash.
Thomas Isaac, in his transfer petition, claimed that he is over 70 years old and that it is difficult for him to travel over 3,000 Km to Gangtok for hearings under the case. Additionally, claiming that Martin’s claims in the defamation action were unjustified, according to mathrubhumi.
The case will be handled by the government since the allegedly defamatory statements were made at a press conference hosted by the government.
Despite the current situation, KPCC president K Sudhakaran commented on the earlier raid on Martin’s residence and office by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) who froze assets worth Rs 457 crore saying that CPM is helping Martin to make profits.
ED has been conducting several investigations against Santiago Martin
Santiago Martin, popularly known as the lottery king, has recently found himself in several cases for allegedly being involved in money laundering. The ED has been conducting investigations against Martin under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.
Recently, the ED conducted a search operation in residential and business premises of Martin. During the search, ED froze Rs. 157.7 from Fixed Deposits/Mutual Funds and seized Rs. 299.16 Crore worth of immovable property documents.
According to a report by CBI, Martin made profits by selling Sikkim lotteries in Kerala which led the government of Sikkim faces a loss of Rs. 910 crore through ticket price inflation. Further investigation regarding the same is under process.
