The Criminal Court on Thursday approved a Department of Special Investigation request to detain former Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative chairman Supachai Srisupa-aksorn, a key suspect in a second KCU embezzlement case, for a further 12 days until April 13.
Pol Lt Col Banthoon Chimkra, a DSI investigator, took Mr Supachai, 57, to the Criminal Court and requested approval to detain him for further investigation into the issuing of eight cheques drawn on the credit union for a total of 27 million baht.
The cheques were issued between April 19, 2013 and October 8, 2013, when Mr Supachai was chairman of the cooperative.
According to the DSI investigatiors, Mr Supachai issued the cheques himself, claiming that the money would be used to pay fees for the credit union.
The cheques were issued without the approval of the cooperative's committee. No regulation allowed him to issue the cheques, according to the DSI. His actions showed that he had intended to embezzle money from the cooperative, according to the DSI investigative report.
Mr Supachai denied the charges.
Investigators said they had yet to interrogate five other witnesses in the case and asked the court to approve their request to detain him for 12 days from April 2 until April 13.
The DSI also opposed bail, arguing that the case involved many people and damage caused by the alleged fraud was high.
The court approved the request after the suspect raised no objection.
Pol Lt Col Somboon Sarasit, DSI special crime director, said credit union cooperative members had asked the DSI to investigate the 27-million-baht fraud case after evidence showed that Mr Supachai had issued the eight cheques himself.
Mr Supachai is also accused in another Klongchan credit union embezzlement case involving 13 billion baht. That case has already been forwarded to the prosecution.
A source said many KCU members showed up at the court on Thursday to oppose his temporary release on bail.