The Crime Suppression Division (CSD) police have handed over all the evidence related to the 30-million lottery controversy to the Counter Corruption Police Division for use in taking legal action against Kanchanaburi police chief, Pol Maj-Gen Sutthi Puangpikul.
CSD commander Pol Maj-Gen Maitri Chimcherd said today (March 7) that Pol Maj-Gen Sutthi, who was moved to an inactive post at the operations centre of the Royal Thai Police pending an investigation for his alleged meddling in the lottery conflict, should face charge of dereliction of duty.
As for the four police inquiry officers of Thong Pha Phum district police handling the case, he said that, if necessary, they would be kept as prosecution witnesses, but that would depend on his superior to decide.
Pol Maj-Gen Maitri said the fact that the accused was a senior police officer would not have any bearing on the case and if it was proven that he was guilty, then he should be punished accordingly.
CSD commander Maitri Chimcherd
Earlier, it was reported that Pol Maj-Gen Sutthi summoned Pol Lt Charoon Wimoon, the retired police officer who cashed the 30 million baht First Prize lottery tickets, to his house to mediate the lottery dispute between the latter and Mr Preecha Kraikruan, a school teacher, who challenged Pol Lt Charoon’s lottery ownership.
Pol Maj-Gen Sutthi also allegedly ordered Thong Pha Phum police to correct witnesses’ testimonies to direct the case in certain direction.
Counter Corruption Police Division commander Pol Maj-Gen Kamol Rienracha said it would take about a week to determine whether there was enough ground to charge Pol Maj-Gen Sutthi for alleged dereliction of duty.
He expected the case to be wrapped up and sent to the National Anti-Corruption Commission for consideration in 30 days.
Meanwhile, Pol Lt-Gen Thitiraj Nhongharnpitak, commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau, said that two groups of people would be summoned for questioning.
The first group are witnesses of school teacher Preecha Kraikruan who were not directly involved with the winning lottery tickets but who believed that the tickets belong to Mr Preecha and the second group consists of those who deliberately made comments and dissemminate information to cause confusion among the police and the society.
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