Electoral bonds: Failed experiment in transparency?
₹12,155 crore between 12 April 2019 and 15 February 2024, really do. What are their business interests? The first company on this list is Future Gaming and Hotels Services Pvt. Ltd.
It purchased bonds worth ₹1,368 crore. Similarly, Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd invested ₹966 crore, while Quick Supply Chain Pvt. Ltd bought bonds for ₹410 crore.
The published data lists them as the top three companies. Until today, the names of these companies have been rarely discussed by the public. Future Gaming and Hotels Services Pvt.
Ltd, the largest contributor, runs a lottery business headquartered in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. This company was founded by Santiago Martin, also known as Lottery King and Martin Lottery. Martin’s story is astonishing.
In his early days, he used to do petty jobs in Myanmar. In 1988, he returned home and opened a lottery firm, the success of which was beyond all expectations. Martin has been the subject of controversy often.
Is he so pro-democracy that he purchased bonds worth over ₹1,300 crore from the common man’s lottery money and donated it to political parties? According to initial information, three of the top five bond buyers purchased the bonds following action taken by ED or the income tax department. Also, the first 20 donors bought bonds worth ₹5,830 crore, representing 48% of the overall transaction. Which parties were given these bonds? Data available shows, the BJP has received 47.5% of total donations, the Trinamool Congress 12.6%, and the Congress 11.1%.
Telangana’s Bharat Rashtra Samithi, led by K. Chandrashekar Rao, finished fourth with ₹1,215 crore, while Biju Janata Dal came in fifth with ₹776 crore. If you ask anyone which is the second largest political party after the
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