THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Lottery directorate said that the court's permission will be required to hand over the prize money in the case of street vendor Sukumariamma's lottery ticket worth Rs 1 crore being seized away by a lottery vendor. According to the museum police report, the complaint filed by Sukumariamma showing that the ticket was stolen is true. Sukumariamma has also approached the court. The court has to declare the real owner of the ticket based on this.

The prize money will not be paid to anyone until the court's decision. The person who stole the ticket has submitted it to the Bank of Baroda. Lottery Directorate officials said that the prize money cannot be claimed by submitting the ticket at the bank since the police informed that there is a complaint and a case on the ticket.

The complaint is that lottery vendor Kannan stole the ticket from Sukumariamma (72), a native of Kalliyur, who sells hats on the museum premises. The stolen ticket was the winning ticket of the Fifty Fifty lottery drawn on May 15.

The police investigation has found that there are witnesses that Sukumariamma took the ticket and Kannan stole it. Kannan, who was arrested, is in remand.