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AP orders probe into Euro lottery winner's deals

Shireen in Hyderabad

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu has directed the state police to conduct a suo motu probe into the financial dealings of 'Euro lottery winner' Kola Venkata Krishna Mohan following adverse reports in the media.

Chandrababu Naidu has asked the police to specifically enquire into the genuineness of the claim of Krishna Mohan that he had won the 19.8 million dollar (Rs 840 million) Euro lottery in November 1998.

In an official press statement, the chief minister stated that the probe was being ordered in the wake of a series of reports in newspapers that Krishna Mohan had borrowed huge amounts from banks as well as private money lenders in Vijayawada. However, no complaint has been lodged with the police so far by the banks or private individuals in this regard.

Chandrababu Naidu discussed the matter with Vijayawada Police Commissioner Sudeep Lakhtakia and senior police officials during his visit to Vijayawada on Saturday. "The law will take its own course. Action will be taken against him (Krishna Mohan) if he is proved guilty," he assured.

Krishna Mohan, who hit the headlines for winning the 19.8 million US dollar Euro lottery in November last year, took a plunge into politics by formally taking the membership of the Telugu Desam Party in the presence of chief minister and TDP chief Nara Chandrababu Naidu in Hyderabad on May 19 this year. He also unsuccessfully tried for the party ticket to contest the recent Lok Sabha election from the Machilipatnam constituency.

The 43-year-old businessman hailing from a family of contractors in Vijayawada had claimed that he picked up the Euro lottery ticket while waiting for a connecting flight at Heathrow Airport in London last year and hit the unexpected jackpot of 19.8 million dollars (about Rs 840 million). He claimed the prize money in February 1999 by which time the amount rose to 20 million dollars alongwith interest.

The Euro lottery is sponsored by the German, British and Netherlands governments. Krishna Mohan even claimed that the British, Mauritius and Montenegro governments had offered him citizenship to attract his investments but he chose to remain in India. In fact, he did not want to leave his native Vijayawada although he got threatening calls and faced extortion threats. He has been provided armed security by the police.

Krishna Mohan allegedly borrowed money from nationalised banks and private money-lenders. He drew loans amounting to Rs 2 million and Rs 2.5 million from Vysya Bank and Andhra Bank respectively. He also reportedly borrowed from several private parties.

He filed a writ petition in the AP high court earlier this month, seeking police protection from private money-lenders. He alleged that he was facing a threat to his life from two money-lenders. He submitted before the court that he would repay the loans on receipt of the lottery money which he had deposited in a London bank.

In the affidavit filed in the court, Krishna Mohan stated that he had won the 19.8 million dollars in the three-week rollover jackpot in Lotto game. The prize money was remitted to him in 60 days. However, he could not repatriate the amount to India so far.

He claimed that since he was trying to secure income tax exemption, he had invested the money in Midlands Bank in London as fixed deposit. As the deposit matured on November 17, he can get the amount any time now, he further stated.

He said that he had borrowed "small amounts" from some persons who had been coercing him to repay the loans. He sought court directions to the police to provide him with additional protection.

The police commissioner (Vijayawada), special branch circle inspector, Machavaram police sub-inspector and two debtors named by Krishna Mohan had been issued notices by the court.

There is no police case against him as no complaint has been lodged against him so far by anyone. However, the income tax authorities are after him to part with his tax for winning the lottery. The IT authorities directed him to pay Rs 320 million as income tax.

The state police and central intelligence agencies are keeping an eye on Krishna Mohan, who used to run a telephone booth at Bhavanipuram before he won the Euro lottery.

He suddenly "disappeared" from Vijayawada a fortnight ago, fuelling speculation about the bonafides of his claims about winning the Euro lottery. After camping in Hyderabad for sometime, Krishna Mohan has reportedly moved to Bangalore.

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