Property tycoon Anant Asavabhokin, founder of the Land and Houses Group, has denied charges against him lodged by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) in connection with the Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative (KCUC) embezzlement case.
After almost four hours of questioning on Tuesday, Mr Anant told waiting reporters that he came to show good intent, but had requested a 60-day delay to prepare documents relating to the case. He explained he had returned from abroad only two days ago.
Kachornsak Phutthanuphap, executive director of investigation at the Office of the Attorney-General was also at the DSI to inform Mr Anant of the two charges against him relating to money laundering.
Mr Anant denied both charges and requested 60 days to prepare his explanation of the land deals involved.
The DSI summoned Mr Anant to appear before investigators on suspicion he laundered money through a land purchase, in which the land would be donated to Wat Phra Dhammakaya in Pathum Thani's Khlong Luang district. Instead, it ended up under his ownership.
Former KCUC chairman Supachai Srisupa-aksorn used money drawn from KCUC to buy 46 rai owned by M-Home STV 2 Co near Wat Phra Dhammakaya.
Supachai is currently serving a 16-year jail sentence after admitting to siphoning billions of baht from KCUC accounts in 2013.
The 46 rai was sold on Dec 23, 2011 to Mr Anant for 93.7 million baht, well below the estimated value of 281 million baht, the DSI's initial investigation concluded.
The deal caused damage to KCUC, and officials also found that no payment was actually made.
Mr Anant later sold the land for 492 million baht and allegedly donated 303 million baht of the money to the Chan Khonnokyoong Foundation, overseen by the founder and former abbot of Wat Dhammakaya, Phra Dhammajayo.
Mr Anant said he did not know Supachai personally, although he met many people at the temple. His lawyer would be providing information about the case, as he did not know all the details, Mr Anant said.
Mr Anant said foreign interests were still investing in his companies, to the tune of around 17 billion baht, even though he faced a legal investigation.
After the summons was issued, Mr Anant stepped down as chairman of LH Financial Group, LH Bank, Land and Houses Plc (LH) and Home Product Center Plc (HMPRO).
Mr Anant's lawyer Kamol Srisawat declined to give more information, saying more detail would be given to the media after 60 days.
The Anti-Money Laundering Office has also put a 90-day freeze on eight blocks of land worth 298 million baht owned by Mr Anant's daughter Alisa Asavabhokhin, on suspicions relating to Supachai's embezzlement of the KCUC.
