Kerala High Court upholds Rs 20 Crore lottery prize for ticket holder

The Kerala High Court has ruled that the Rs 20 crore first prize in the Kerala Christmas Bumper Lottery should be awarded to the person who produced the winning ticket, dismissing a petition filed by a retired police officer claiming ownership of the ticket.
The Christmas Bumper Lottery draw was held on January 24, and the first prize of Rs 20 crore went to ticket number XC 138455. An individual from Ernakulam who possessed the winning ticket later submitted it to the State Lottery Directorate in Thiruvananthapuram to claim the prize.
However, Sajimon, a retired police officer who runs a travel company in Ernakulam, filed a petition in the Kerala High Court stating that he had originally purchased the ticket while visiting his wife’s house in Muvattupuzha.
In his petition, he claimed that the ticket had been kept in his travel vehicle but had gone missing, and therefore the prize money should be awarded to him.
During the hearing, the High Court directed the Kerala Lottery Directorate to conduct an inquiry and submit a report regarding the claim.
After examining the report and the evidence submitted, the court dismissed Sajimon’s petition and ruled that the prize money should be awarded to the person who was in possession of the winning ticket.