The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has added two more suspects to the list in the multi-billion-baht embezzlement case at the Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative.
Findings by a new investigative committee of the department pointed to possible wrongdoing by Watchanont Nawa-isararak and Jiradet Worapiankul, the DSI's chief investigator in the Klongchan case, Pakorn Sucheewakul, said on Friday.
Mr Watchanont is the president of Ratpracha Credit Union and Mr Jiradet was an adviser to former finance minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong.
The two men had been spared by a previous probe committee of the DSI. Their cases, together with those against four other suspects, should reach a court in early May, Pol Lt Col Pakorn said.
Recently the Anti-Money Laundering Office found that both men received about 2.5 billion baht via cheques drawn on the credit union's funds. They were among hundreds of cheques that Supachai Srisupa-aksorn, then chairman of the cooperative, issued from 2008 to 2011 to transfer money from the credit union to accounts held by himself and other parties.
Mr Supachai is among four earlier targeted suspects. The three others are Miss Saranya Manmad, the co-op's former deputy manager for financial affairs, Lapat Somkham, a former director of the co-op, and Krisada Meeboonmak, its former chief of lending.
Pol Lt Col Somboon Sarasit, the DSI's head of investigation of embezzlement and money-laundering, said the co-op had made 33 contracts to lend 13 billion baht to 27 companies, and they included fake contracts.
Pol Lt Col Pakorn also said on Friday that the DSI still wanted Phra Dhammachayo, abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya, to answer its questions as a witness in the embezzlement case. The abbot's presence would be beneficial to him, he said.
The abbot was among the recipients of money withdrawn from the credit union.