Santiago Martin. File
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The spouse of Tamil Nadu Public Works and Sports Development Minister Aadhav Arjuna, Daisy Aadhav Arjuna, his father-in-law Santiago Martin, mother-in-law and AIADMK MLA Leema Rose, and others have filed a batch of 39 individual appeals before the Madras High Court in a case related to the attachment of properties worth ₹910.29 crore by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED).
Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G. Arul Murugan on Tuesday (June 9, 2026) ordered notice to the ED on the appeals challenging the May 30, 2025, order passed by an Appellate Tribunal for Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) cases in New Delhi. The tribunal had refused to interfere with the 2023 confirmation of the ED’s provisional attachment orders by the adjudicating authority under the PMLA.
The tribunal had also refused to interfere with the adjudicating authority’s 2023 decision to permit the ED to retain the digital devices and documents seized by the agency during a search operation. The judges directed ED Special Public Prosecutor N. Ramesh to take notice on the main appeals filed by the appellants, challenging the tribunal’s order, as well as their interim stay petitions, and respond to them by next month.
The batch of 39 appeals challenging the tribunal’s order was filed by lottery baron Mr. Martin, Ms. Rose, Ms. Arjuna, and several entities including Martin Plaza Private Limited, Dominant Towers, and Traders Private Limited, Charles Housing Private Limited, Martin Realty Private Limited,, Daison Land and Development Private Limited, Smart City Homes LLP, Martin Buildings Private Limited, Daison Luxury Villas Private Limited, Hrithvi Real Estates LLP, Future Gaming Hotel Services Private Limited, Affluent Towers LLP, Dominant Dwellers and Dealers Private Limited, Dominant Shelter and Agencies Private Limited, Dominant Homes Private Limited, Martin Township Developers Private Limited, and Charming Skyscrapers and Agency Private Limited.
The ED had registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) against Mr. Martin and others on the basis of a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case regarding the alleged loss of ₹910.29 crore caused to the Government of Sikkim in connection with the sale of lottery tickets by either manipulating or inflating the prize-winning tickets that were sold in Kerala.
Hence, a series of six provisional attachment orders were issued between 2016 and 2023, attaching properties valued at ₹910.29 crore, which were the alleged proceeds of crime. Thereafter, the attachment orders were placed before the adjudicating authority for confirmation, as required under the provisions of the PMLA. The adjudicating authority confirmed the 2023 provisional attachment order for ₹456.84 crore, out of the total value of ₹910.29 crore, on November 7, 2023.
Though the confirmation was challenged before the appellate tribunal, the latter refused to interfere with it and hence, the present batch of appeals before the High Court.
Published – June 09, 2026 12:55 pm IST
