Koothattukulam: Even as the public were curious to know the identity of the Rs 5 crore first-prize winner of the Pooja Bumper, local lottery agent Moleparambil Jacob Kurian, alias Yakob, claimed he himself has the jackpot-winning ticket.
The results of the Pooja Bumper were announced on Tuesday. Soon, many rumours did the rounds on the social media about the winner. Some social media posts even displayed the images of some people holding the prize-winning lottery ticket. But it all turned out to be fake in further enquiry.
Meanwhile, public curiosity built up as no one came forward with a credible claim on Monday, the first business day of the week. It was widely expeced that the winner with lottery number RA 591801 would appear on the scene on Monday after submitting the ticket in the bank for verification and for further proceedings. But nothing of that sort happened.
In a strange twist of fate lottery agent Moleparambil Jacob Kurian, alias Yakob, claimed on Tuesday the ticket which fetched the coveted prize is with him.
Earlier it was reported that the ticket was sold from his shop located at Kizhakombu Junction in Koothattukulam.
Yakob had bought 15 tickets, including the prize-winning ticket, from the wholesale distributor, C & F Lucky Centre, in Koothattukulam. Yakob did not remember who all came and bought tickets from him.
It was assumed since it is a rural area, the ticket might have been bought by a person from the same locality.
On Sunday it was reported the first prize went to a ticket sold in Thiruvananthapuram. This confusion arose as the official address of the C & F Lucky Centre as per the records of the Lottery Department was that of Thiruvananthapuram.
