Sri Lanka, Jan. 29 -- Investigations have been launched into an alleged fraud involving the payment of the 'Aswesuma' allowance in the Kataragama Divisional Secretariat.

Kataragama Divisional Secretary Prageeth Kulathilaka has lodged a complaint with the Kataragama Police, stating that an official attached to the Kataragama Divisional Secretariat is suspected of misappropriating the allowance belonging to a beneficiary.

According to the complaint, a Kataragama resident informed the Divisional Secretary via telephone that the allowance due for him had been unlawfully obtained by an officer of the Divisional Secretariat.

Subsequent inquiries revealed that the total allowance owed to the complainant, including arrears dating back to 2023,...