The Department of Special Investigation will meet on Monday to discuss the authenticity of a medical certificate provided by Wat Dhammakaya abbot Phra Dhammajayo as proof of his ailments after a Ratchaburi hospital confirmed it was not issued in its name.
DSI director-general Paisit Wongmuang said on Sunday that DSI investigators would discuss the evidence presented by Wat Dhammakaya’s team of lawyers to the court to justify the abbot's request to defer a meeting with the DSI to acknowledge criminal charges on May 26.
The 72-year-old abbot is accused of involvement in money laundering and receiving stolen property worth 1.2 billion baht in connection with the 12-billion-baht Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative embezzlement scandal.
Earlier, Phra Nopporn Punyachayo, assistant director of Wat Dhammakaya's communications office, said a doctor from the army's Fort Phanurangsri Hospital in Ratchaburi paid a private visit to the abbot at the temple in Pathum Thani, examined him and issued a medical certificate confirming the authenticity of his illnesses.
But the DSI chief said the hospital’s director confirmed in writing that the medical certificate issued by a deputy director of the hospital was not an official document.
The DSI meeting on Monday will also discuss critical remarks made by followers of the abbot over the DSI’s move to issue a warrant for the arrest of the embattled abbot if he failed to acknowledge the charges. It would be decided whether those remarks were deemed defamatory and infringing the court’s authority, the DSI chief said.
On the temple’s statement about the Wat Dhammakaya abbot’s severe ailments, the DSI investigators acknowledged the abbot was sick. However, they have obtained evidence showing the monk had been invited to leave the temple to perform religious tasks.
The abbot could walk as normal, but he showed no intention to meet the DSI investigators to acknowledge the charges in order to prevent the case from proceeding, said Pol Col Paisit. If the abbot continued to refuse to cooperate, the DSI had to issue a warrant for his arrest.
He declined to comment on the temple’s remark that it was willing to allow the investigators to go to the temple to press charges against the abbot.
The DSI will wait until May 26 before taking further steps. The temple had several groups of disciples and each group might have different thoughts, he added.
The DSI will hold a meeting with prosecutors and seek court approval to issue a search warrant if the abbot failed to show up on May 26. Authorities will plug all legal loopholes to prevent crticisim.
The DSI chief said Phra Dhammajayo had never said he was willing to have investigators enter the temple. Only his disciples had made this remark.
A source at the DSI said authorities would coordinate with the National Office of Buddhism if they had to arrest Phra Dhammajayo as the abbot was a high-ranking monk. Before and after the arrest was made, they had to notify chief monks governing the temple.
Justice Minister Paiboon Koomchaya said it was normal for the DSI to issue a warrant for the arrest if he failed to surrender within the scheduled date.
He allayed public worries that monks and disciples might obstruct officers trying to arrest the abbot.
Gen Paiboon said he was confident that the temple would cooperate with the DSI and there would be no untoward incident inside the monastic place.
“I have mentioned several times that authorities are not heavy-hearted as they follow proper procedures," the justice minister said.
A close disciple of the embattled abbot on Sunday afternoon took reporters to a monastic building where Phra Dhammajayo was being treated for his ailments.
Ong-art Thamnitha, spokesman of the abbot’s disciple group, led five reporters into a room which had been disinfected. The building was off-limits to outsiders. TV sets were placed outside the building for people to monitor the condition of the abbot.
A source said the abbot was seen lying down on a bed under the close care of physicians. One doctor partly opened a blanket showing one infected leg of the abbot.
Mr Ong-art acknowledged the abbot's medical situation, saying Phra Dhammajayo was seriously ill and could not leave the temple to acknowledge the charges.
The abbot was willing to comply with the law and has asked the DSI to hand him the arrest warrant at the temple.
Earlier, a video clip taken last month was released showing the abbot walking and greeting his disciples.
A doctor partly opens a blanket to show the infected leg of Wat Dhammakaya abbot Phra Dhammajayo on Sunday. (Photo by Pongpat Wongyala)
