Two senior police officers said today that they are not worried about legal action to be taken against them by Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn, the deputy national police chief, who was cleared of any wrongdoing last week by a fact-finding committee.
Today, Pol Gen Surachate threatened to file a complaint with the National Anti-Corruption Commission against Pol Gen Kitrat Phanphet, the current deputy national police, over the his order dismissing Surachate from police service.
He also threatened to file defamation charges against Pol Maj-Gen Charoonkiat Pankaew, the deputy commissioner of Central Investigation Bureau, for allegedly disseminating to the media details of a confidential investigative report, about the online gambling business, allegedly tarnishing his reputation.
Pol Gen Kitrat said that there are mixed opinions about his dismissal of Surachate, as he insisted that his order was issued after having carefully considered the legal aspects and the facts surrounding the charges.
He declined, however, to comment on a ruling by the Council of State that his order was not legitimate and recommending that the dismal order be revoked.
Pol Gen Kitrat said he is not worried that he might be targeted for his role in the handling of the case against Surachate.
Meanwhile, Charoonkiat told the media today that he is not worried about such a threat from the deputy national police chief, claiming that he simply performed his legal duty as an officer in charge of handling the online gambling case.
He also said that his first priority is to serve the people and the Royal Thai Police, and not any senior police officers implicated in corruption.
Pol Gen Surachate and four of his close colleagues are facing money laundering charges in connection with the BNK Master online gambling business.
Arrest warrants were issued against them by the Criminal Court and they are currently free on bail.
Pol Gen Charoonkiat also said that he is not concerned about his future career path, following the recent reinstatement of Surachate.
Both Surachate and his superior, Pol Gen Torsak Sukvimol, were cleared by an investigating committee last week, which had been appointed by the prime minister to probe the conflict between the two officers over the handling of some online gambling cases.
Surachate was automatically reinstated on the grounds that the decision to remove him from police service was procedurally incorrect.
Main photo : From L-R : Pol Maj Gen Charoonkiat Pankaew, the deputy commissioner of Central Investigation Bureau and Deputy National Police Commissioner Pol Gen Kitrat Phanphet
