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Waves of tsunami frauds, bribery
 More than 100 government officials have come under investigation for allegedly plundering tsunami relief or demanding bribes. This comes in the backdrop of government's shocking own admission that billions of rupees received as relief had reached only a mere 30 percent of the tsunami victims.

Public Administration Minister Amarasiri Dodangoda said 18 public officials had already been interdicted on fraud charges while the conduct of others was being probed. He said among those interdicted were nine grama sevakas who allegedly demanded bribes or channelled the aid to non-affected relatives.

The minister said there were several complaints that grama sevakas were demanding bribes to validate death certificates whereby family members of victims could get Rs. 15,000 as compensation.

He said most of the complaints were from the southern province and teams were sent for special investigations after demonstrations were held in the south and the east protesting the alleged corruption of tsunami- aid officials.
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