The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has been requested to rule whether Defence Minister Sukumpol Suwanatat had abused his power by issuing an order to remove his military rank, Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said.
Defence Minister Sukumpol Suwanatat (L) and Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva (Photos by Pattanapong Hirunard and Chanat Katanyu)
Mr Abhisit said he had assigned his lawyer Bundhit Siriphan to file a case against ACM Sukumpol with the NACC for violating Article 157 of the Criminal Code.
ACM Sukumpol's order to strip him of his military rank was an abuse of power, causing him damage, he said.
The Democrat Party leader and former prime minister cited the case of Gen Niphon Thirapong, a former director-general of the army's Signals Department, who was stripped of military rank by the Defence Ministry after the NACC ruled that he had violated Articles 86 and 157 of the Criminal Code for neglect of duty.
However, the Council of State ruled that the Defence Ministry did not have the power to remove Gen Niphon's rank retroactively since he was no longer in the military service.
Mr Abhisit said the Council of State's ruling on Gen Niphon's case could be applied to his case because ACM Sukumpol's order came after he had long been out of the military service.