Information points to at least 20 lawmakers being involved in reported cash fraud related to last year’s Senate vote, Justice Minister Pol Col Tawee Sodsong said yesterday.
He said the Department of Special Investigation ( DSI) has a list of more than 7, 000 witnesses to alleged collusion in the election.
Of them, 3, 000 claimed to had witnessed alleged abnormalities at the national-level selection process at Muang Thong Thani in Nonthaburi in next month’s election, Pol Col Tawee said.
The Senate vote was a three-phase method in which applicants were chosen from their own organizations and other expert groups at the area, municipal, and national levels.
Pol Col Tawee, who supervises the DSI, said the testimony confirmed that about 400-500 million baht was spent to reportedly correct votes in the election.
He said that based on the witness records, the DS I’s unique circumstances committee decided to investigate complaints of money laundering related to the vote.
Pol Col Tawee added that the DSI has the authority to investigate money-laundering complaints if at least 300 million baht is involved.
He said that a group of DSI authorities would work with people lawyers to handle the case and would have three months to gather more information.
Pol Col Tawee also said that any information gathered could be used by the Election Commission (EC ) to ask the Supreme Court’s Election Cases Division to remove any senators who are involved from office.
On Thursday, the DSI specific cases table refused to look into claims of legal organization related to last year’s Senate vote but agreed to investigate complaints of money laundering. Any claims related to Senate election law violations may be handled differently by the EC.
Jade Donavanik, chairman of the College of Asian Scholars ‘ Faculty of Law, told the Bangkok Post that the DS I’s choice to limit its spacecraft to just claims of money laundering may help authorities involved avoid a fight of power among themselves.
This will allow the DSI, the EC, and the Anti-Money Laundering Office to work under their separate laws while cooperating in areas where they are allowed by law without clashing with each other, Mr Jade said. It is widely speculated that the DS I’s probe into the Senate election is targeting the so-called “blue faction”– a group of senators linked to the Bhumjaithai Party.
On Thursday, Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul dismissed claims that the DS I’s decision not to investigate criminal association was linked to a meeting between party founder Newin Chidchob and former premier Thaksin Shinawatra on Sunday.
He also dismissed claims they met to clear the air amid rumours of a growing rift between the ruling Pheu Thai Party and Bhumjaithai. Pheu Thai and Bhumjaithai are said to have clashed over several key issues in recent months.