Corruption charges top 2000

by Uditha Kumarasinghe

The number of complaints received by Anti-Corruption Committee on corruption and other irregularities allegedly committed by some key players of former Government has now topped 2000, Cabinet Spokesman and Health and Indigenous Medicine Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne told the Sunday Observer yesterday.

The Anti-Corruption Committee headed by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe comprises Ministers Mangala Samaraweera, Patali Champika Ranawaka, Rauff Hakeem and Parliamentarians Anura Kumara Dissanayake, R. Sampanthan, M. A. Sumanthiran, Democratic Party Leader Sarath Fonseka along with President's Counsel Dr. Jayampathy Wickramaratne, lawyer and human rights activist J. C. Weliamuna and UNP Chairman Malik Samarawickrema.

Certain charges on corruption have been directly directed to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption. Most of the complaints are being investigated day and night by the newly appointed Director General of the Bribery Commission while the other charges are being investigated by a special Police Unit set up under the supervision of a senior DIG , the Minister said.

The Special Police Unit is even above the IGP and directly comes under the supervision of the Internal Security Minister. It has already commenced investigations into alleged corruption and financial frauds that took place during the previous regime.

"As the main task of the Anti-Corruption Committee, it will look into the measures taken by the commission and the special investigation unit. From time to time, the Cabinet Sub Committee will decide what necessary action be taken on the charges against the accused. At present, we are investigating to what extent the corruption has taken place. In certain cases, politicians may be involved and sometimes bureaucrats in these cases.

Justice and Labour Relations Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said the special Police Unit set up would further expedite the investigation process of the Anti-Corruption Committee on the alleged financial transactions including money laundering that took place during the previous Government. Complaints have been filed against a number of politicians and key players of the previous Government.

Minister Rajapakshe said that the complaints on corruption are received daily.

All these are prominent cases related to plundering public funds by some politicians of former Government and some of their close associates.

Responding the UPFA's claim that the Government has launched a witch hunt against their political opponents, the Minister said this was the general excuse given by anybody who has committed such massive financial frauds.