Chennai, Oct 17:
A Kolkata-based lottery firm, Tiger Associates, donated a total of Rs 260 crore to the DMK and AIADMK during 2025-26, accounting for nearly 74 per cent of the combined contributions reported by the two parties, according to disclosures submitted to the Election Commission.
The firm donated Rs 135 crore to the AIADMK through six transfers and Rs 125 crore to the DMK in 14 instalments. These contributions accounted for nearly 84 per cent of the AIADMKās total reported contributions of Rs 161.36 crore and 65.4 per cent of the DMKās Rs 191.19 crore.
Tiger Associatesā combined donations to the two parties rose from Rs 110 crore in 2024-25 to Rs 260 crore in 2025-26, taking its contributions over the two financial years to Rs 370 crore.
The firm is linked to lottery businessman Santiago Martin through its designated partner, Subbayan Nagarajan, who is described as a longtime associate of Martin. However, Tiger Associates and Martinās company, Future Gaming and Hotel Services, are separate entities, and the disclosures do not establish that Martin personally funded Tiger Associatesā donations.
Future Gaming had earlier emerged as the largest purchaser of electoral bonds before the Supreme Court struck down the scheme in 2024. Disclosures subsequently showed that it had contributed Rs 509 crore to the DMK through electoral bonds.