Santiago Martin: 'Lottery king' challenges ED property attachment in Madras high court The Madras high court on Tuesday directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to respond to a legal challenge filed by Santiago Martin, his wife Leema Rose, daughter Daisy Aadhav Arjuna, and her husband Aadhav Arjuna, along with companies owned by Martin’s son Charles. The petition seeks to overturn the ED’s attachment of properties valued at Rs 451.22 crore, which were seized in May 2023 under allegations of money laundering. The court’s first bench, comprising Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan, ordered the ED to be served notice of the pleas, which were filed under a batch of 39 cases. The dispute centers on a CBI chargesheet dated February 3, 2014, which accused Martin and others of violating the Lotteries (Regulation) Act. The charges allege a conspiracy to defraud the state of Sikkim by cheating and causing wrongful loss through illegal lottery activities. The ED’s search operations in May 2023 targeted properties linked to the family, based on these allegations. The case involves 32 FIRs registered in connection with the offense, with closure reports filed in 25 cases and chargesheets in seven others. The court admitted the appeals but directed the petitioners to submit complete copies of the case documents to the ED. The hearing was adjourned for six weeks, allowing time for the ED to prepare its response. The legal battle highlights the complexities of financial crimes and the intersection of law enforcement actions with high-profile cases. The family’s challenge underscores the ongoing scrutiny of alleged illicit wealth accumulation and the legal mechanisms to contest such seizures.#enforcement_directorate #leema_rose #santiago_martin #daisy_aadhav_arjuna #aadhab_arjuna
