CHENNAI: A large number of Rotary club members in Tamil Nadu are facing another awkward situation as questions have been raised today- on May 16th 2023- on what action will be taken against Mrs.Leema Rose Martin, wife of Sikkim Lottery scam accused Mr.Santiago Martin, who is a member of Rotary Club of Coimbatore Aakruthi and she is also a top sponsor for many Rotary club service projects in and around Coimbatore.
The ED searches took place last week at properties belonging to ‘Lottery King’ businessman Santiago Martin and his family in the last few days in May 2023. He is now an accused in money laundering case detected by the Enforcement Directorate, in the lottery scam that goes back to the year 2010, sources said. Mr.Martin is a prime accused in distributing Sikkim lottery tickets in Kerala and a full fledged investigation is going on how he made illegal gains through selling of Sikkim lottery tickets.
After the Enforcement Directorate (ED) of Government of India had last week seized assets and deposits worth Rs.450 crores belonging to ‘Lottery King’ Santiago Martin for making unlawful gains through Sikkim lottery, there are now questions being raised by several senior members of Rotary clubs in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and other southern States on whether the Rotary International leaders will take action against Ms.Leema Rose Martin who is the wife of ED-accused Mr.Martin in this Sikkim lottery scam.
The ED searches took place in May 2023 and cases are being probed now by various agencies in this lottery scam, in the companies belonging to Mr.Martin and his family. Sources said that lottery accused Martin’s wife Leema is also an active member in a political party in Tamil Nadu. She supports and sponsors lot of Rotary service projects in Coimbatore area.
“Martin’s wife Ms.Leema Rose Martin is a past president of all women Rotary club which is called as Rotary Club of Coimbatore Aakruthi. She is also chairman of Martin Group of Companies that had sponsored funds for Rotary service activities. The Rotary clubs in Coimbatore in Rotary International District 3201 presently comes in Cochin jurisdiction and also for next two years. We hope our Rotary leaders in India will save us from continued embarassment of police cases and raids in companies belonging to Rotarians, because only recently we heard about how our Rotary incoming governor in Chennai Mr.Ravi Raman in Rotary District 3232 was arrested by Chennai police and was released on bail in a land scam. Please save the goodwill of Rotary clubs and Rotary International which is a voluntary service organization,” a few members and leaders of Rotary movement told ‘Lotus Times’ media www.lotustimes.org on condition of anonymity on May 16th 2023. (More details are being gathered from Rotary clubs and Martin Group business sources to give accurate unbiased information on ED raids and what next).
