The racketeers have been able to introduce fake tickets to the tickets being issued by the National Lotteries Board and the Development Lotteries Board.

In the most recent exposure, the jackpot wining ticket submitted for DLB’s 462nd ‘Niyatha Jaya’ draw has been found to be a fake.

Police have arrested the man who had submitted the fake ticket, with the CID launching an investigation.

Printer says contract has expired

The contractor that prints ‘Niyatha Jaya’ tickets for the DLB is Digiscan Printing and Packaging at Boralesgamuwa.

When contacted, CEO of the company Palitha Perera said the contract expired on 16 June 2016, and declined to provide any details.

When asked if two of his employees have been arrested on suspicion, he advised that the matter should be referred to the DLB.

What the officials say

DLB chairman Romesh Jayasinghe was contacted for details, and he passed on to additional general manager Kasun Jayasuriya, who said an investigation was underway into the fake lottery ticket.

He said however, the winning ticket had been issued by the DLB, but that there was a question of chronological order of the winning numbers in the ticket.

NLB chairperson Sharmila Perera admitted that fake tickets were being printed every month even before her time.

The attorney general too has been informed, and he has instructed that safety measures be taken, including the ending of monopoly in tender calling.

In a country where there are fake currency notes, fake lottery tickets are unavoidable, she noted.

A CID official said public confidence in state lotteries would suffer due to this situation, adding that an extensive investigation was needed as lottery officials too, were involved in the racket.