The Election Commission of India (ECI) has unveiled the specifics concerning Electoral Bonds in compliance with the Supreme Court’s deadline. Notably, the disclosed information highlights Future Gaming and Hotel Services Private Limited as the top contributor in terms of donation amounts.
In addition to Future Gaming and Hotel Services Private Limited, Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Ltd emerges as another significant donor on the list. Furthermore, the Supreme Court emphasized on March 15 that the State Bank of India (SBI) should not only divulge the details already provided regarding the acquisition and redemption of electoral bonds but also furnish the electoral bond numbers.
The revelation of Future Gaming and Hotel Services Private Limited’s involvement in electoral bonds has ignited a fresh round of discussions. Under the ownership of Santiago Martin, the company has contributed an astonishing Rs 1,368 crore via electoral bonds, becoming the sole entity to surpass the Rs 1,000-crore threshold in donations.
Who is Santiago Martin?
Santiago Martin who is popularly known as Lottery King is the founder and chairman of the Martin Group of Companies. Martin started his career as a laborer in Myanmar’s Yangon and later he returned to India in 1988.
Upon returning from Myanmar, Martin embarked on his entrepreneurial journey by establishing Martin Lottery Agencies Ltd in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. It was during this phase that he earned the moniker ‘Lottery Martin’, as his two-digit lottery enterprise gained widespread recognition amid the fervor for lotteries in the region.
Expanding his business footprint from Coimbatore to Karnataka and later to Kerala, Martin eventually obtained approvals to operate in numerous states including Meghalaya, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Punjab. His empire was built entirely on catering to the aspirations of the common people, catapulting him to a position of considerable wealth and influence.
Santiago Martin’s Wife
Santiago Martin is wedded to Leema Rose Martin, who has a background in politics and has served as a former Member of the Legislative Assembly. She secured her position in the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly as a candidate representing the Communist Party of India (Marxist) from the Thiruvattar constituency in the Kanyakumari district during the 2006 election.
Santiago Martin and Leema Rose have two children a son Charles Martin and a daughter Daisy Martin. The couple’s son Charles Martin is married to Sindhu Charles.
Santiago Charles Net Worth 2024
In addition to his lottery enterprise, Martin has diversified his business ventures into various sectors. His business portfolio spans real estate, construction, alternative energy, visual media entertainment, textiles, hospitality, healthcare, education, software and technology, property development, agriculture, online gaming, casinos, and building materials.
Leading the list of buyers is Future Gaming and Hotels Pvt. Ltd., a company owned by Santiago Martin. Records on the poll panel’s website indicate that the company has purchased electoral bonds totaling Rs 1,300 crore over the past five years. Intriguingly, the Enforcement Directorate initiated an investigation into Future Gaming as early as 2019.
By July 2019, the Enforcement Directorate had seized assets belonging to Future Gaming valued at over Rs 250 crore. According to a report by IE, as of April 2022, the investigative agency had also seized movable assets of the company amounting to Rs 409.92 crore. Additionally, the actual net worth of Santiago Charles remains undisclosed to date.
Santiago Martin FAQs
A. Santiago Martin is known as Lottery King in India.
A. The exact Net worth of Santiago Martin is still not known.
A. Santiago Martin is married to Leema Rose Martin.
A. Santiago Martin has 2 children, a son, and a daughter.
A. Charles Martin is the name of Santiago Martin’s son.