Leema Rose, the AIADMK candidate from Lalgudi and wife of lottery businessman Santiago Martin, has emerged as the richest candidate in the Tamil Nadu elections, with declared assets running into over Rs 1,000 crore.
According to a report by Deccan Herald, her election affidavit provides detailed insights into the financial standing of her family and their business interests.
According to the affidavit, Leema Rose has declared total assets worth Rs 1,049 crore. This includes movable assets valued at Rs 139.62 crore and immovable assets worth Rs 909.94 crore.
She has also disclosed bank deposits amounting to Rs 216 crore. In addition, she owns three luxury vehicles, including Mercedes Benz, Range Rover, and BMW, along with 150 grams of gold.
The affidavit further reveals that her husband, Santiago Martin, has declared total assets worth Rs 4,149 crore. This includes movable assets of Rs 3,262 crore and immovable assets valued at Rs 887.36 crore.
After accounting for liabilities of more than Rs 325 crore, his net worth stands at Rs 3,824 crore. His annual income for the financial year 2024-25 has been declared as Rs 11.39 crore.
The total declared assets of the family, Santiago Martin, Leema Rose, and their son Jose Charles Martin, amount to Rs 5,862 crore.
Their son, Jose Martin, has declared assets worth Rs 664.77 crore, including movable assets of Rs 225 crore and immovable assets worth Rs 439 crore.
Leema Rose is among three immediate family members of Santiago Martin contesting elections. While she is contesting from Lalgudi in Tamil Nadu, her son Jose Martin is contesting from Kamaraj Nagar in Puducherry. Her son-in-law, Aadhav Arjuna, is contesting from Villivakkam in Chennai as a TVK candidate.
Arjuna has declared assets worth Rs 197 crore, while his wife Daisy Arjun has declared assets of Rs 162.14 crore.
Santiago Martin has been identified as the single largest purchaser of electoral bonds, having bought bonds worth Rs 1,368 crore between 2017 and 2024. These were donated to several political parties, with DMK receiving Rs 503 crore and TMC receiving Rs 542 crore.
Tiger Associates, a firm linked to Martin, has also donated Rs 60 crore to AIADMK and Rs 50 crore to DMK during the 2024-2025 financial year.
Santiago Martin runs a business empire that includes lottery operations, real estate, hospitality, a satellite television channel, and software ventures. His company, Future Gaming, operates in 13 states where lottery ticket sales are permitted.
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Leema Rose has disclosed that there are four pending criminal cases against her, including two cases under the PMLA and FEMA.
Santiago Martin has declared ownership of several immovable properties, including agricultural and non-agricultural land across Tamil Nadu, commercial buildings in Tiruppur and Coimbatore, and residential properties in Chennai.
Santiago Martin has maintained connections with leaders across different political parties in states where his businesses operate. In Tamil Nadu, he has been associated with the DMK, while in Kerala, he has had links with the Left Democratic Front.
He had also produced a film for which the late DMK leader M Karunanidhi wrote the script. Additionally, his donation of Rs 2 crore to Deshabimani, a CPI(M) publication in Kerala, faced opposition within the party, leading to the return of the amount.
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