Kolkata trader wins highest-ever jackpot

Kolkata, May 29 (UNI) A small-time iron scrap dealer from Kolkata is now a biggie -- with the largest-ever 'Sikkim Super Lotto' jackpot haul of Rs 17.29 crore he became its 61st ''crorepati''.

Playwin Chief Operating Officer Sanjay Das said, Jaiprakash Jaiswal, a small businessman, had won the lottery last Thursday.

Playwin, a joint venture of Sikkim government and Playwin, launched its electronic lottery a few years back. The draws are shown through television every week.

''Last week on Thursday, a particular ticket from Kolkata matched but the person could not be identified. Today a person called Jaiswal validated his ticket in a computerised terminal in the city,'' Mr Das said.

''His ticket has matched and we would send his case to the Sikkim government soon. In case of electronic lotteries like Sikkim Super Lotto, a state government pays the prize money if it is more than Rs 5,000,'' he said.

''Jaiswal will fill up the form and send his application to us which we would forward to the Sikkim government,'' he added.

Jaiprakash Jaiswal is an iron scrap trader from Kankurgachhi area of the city.

The trader, apparently media shy, did not talk to reporters.

''He would get around Rs 11 crore after the deduction of taxes,'' Mr Das said adding the agent, Suresh Dey, would get one per cent of the total prize money as commission.

Before Jaiswal, the highest winner was from Delhi and he had won a total prize money of Rs 11.86 crore in 2004 on a ticket he had purchased from Haryana.

Kolkata has earlier seen two crorepatis from the Sikkim Super Lotto, Mr Das stated.

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