The special case committee of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) decided today to investigate alleged money laundering related to the senatorial election held in June last year.
The committee has 22 members. Eighteen members and the committee chairman, Deputy Prime Minister for Security Affairs Phumtham Wechayachai, were present this morning.
After meeting for about two hours, a vote was called. Eleven members voted in favor of accepting the Senate election case, four voted against it, and three abstained.
The Election Commission (EC) was not represented at the meeting this morning. Instead, EC Secretary-General Sawaeng Boonmee sent a letter of clarification.
Phumtham told a press conference after the meeting that the committee’s decision concerns only alleged criminal offenses related to money laundering in the Senate election, which fall under the DSI’s jurisdiction. Allegations of voting collusion remain under the purview of the EC.
About 50 senatorial reservists, who have asked the DSI to investigate alleged voting collusion, showed up at the DSI offices this morning to offer moral support to the special case committee.
