Ranchi, Nov. 18: Chief minister Shibu Soren and finance minister Stephen Marandi denied giving permission to the Sikkim Lottery to operate in the state even as the lottery agency publicly claimed that it had the permit to operate in Jharkhand.

The chief minister today said he was considering to order an inquiry into Rajshree Lottery’s claim that it had secured the Jharkhand government’s permission to run its business in the state.

Though Soren claimed that his government had not given permission to any lottery company to operate in the state, he did not specify the action he would be taking against Rajshree Lottery.

“The case is being examined. If necessary, a high-level inquiry will be ordered. Such confusions are being created to destabilise my government because we are committed to work for the welfare of the poor,” he said.

The Sikkim State Lotteries-sponsored Rajshree Lottery, on the other hand, today claimed to have completed the appointment of distributors and stockists in the state.

The Rajshree Lottery had invited “applications” for distributorship through an advertisement in a vernacular daily. It claimed in the advertisement (see picture) yesterday that it had secured the Jharkhand government’s permission to do business in the state. It also expressed its wish to float two schemes — Comp Lot and Smart Lot.

A day after the advertisement inviting distributors appeared, The Telegraph dialled the number provided in the advertisement and spoke to the lottery company authorities, who claimed that the appointment of distributors and stockists here was over.

When the company’s office address was sought, The Telegraph was told that there was no local office in Jharkhand and the main office was based in Delhi’s Karolbagh area.

The person talking to The Telegraph identified himself as Navin and was very polite all through the conversation.

“Why do you want our address sir, when nothing more is possible now. Our appointments in all the districts have been completed,” he said. He also maintained that though the said telephone’s SIM-card was issued in Jharkhand, it was being used in Delhi.

Refusing to part with anymore details, including his office address, he hung up the phone saying everything was over now.