The Criminal Court on Wednesday approved the Department of Special Investigation's (DSI) request for arrest warrants for 19 leading members of the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) for alleged violation of the emergency decree.
However, the targeted leaders insist it will not affect their campaign to demand the caretaker government's resignation and push for national reform.
The court found there was sufficient evidence to confirm the 19 had violated the emergency decree imposed in Bangkok, Nonthaburi and parts of Pathum Thani and Samut Prakan provinces.
The court approved warrants for police to arrest the 19 and detain them at Region 1 Border Patrol Police Headquarters at Khlong 5 in Pathum Thani's Thanyaburi district for no more than seven days.
The arrest of each of the 19 suspects must be reported to the court in 48 hours. The arrest warrants are valid for one year.
The warrants must not be displayed publicly.
The 19 suspects are Suthep Thaugsuban, Sathit Wongnongtoey, Chumpol Julasai, Putthipong Punnakant, Issara Somchai, Withaya Kaewparadai, Thaworn Senneam, Nathapol Teepsuwan, Akanat Promphan, Anchalee Paireerak, Nitithorn Lamlua, Uthai Yodmanee, Samdin Lertbut, Gen Preecha Iamsuphan, Ratchayut Sirayothinpakdi, Kittichai Saisa-ard, Samran Rodphet, Sonthiyan Chuenruthainaitham and Pansuwan Na Kaew.
The photo gallery captures the events surrounding anti-goverment protests, led by Suthep Thaugsuban, in Bangkok on Wednesday, Feb 5, 2014. (Bangkok Post photos)
DSI director-general Tarit Pengdith said the Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO) is expected to soon issue an order to suspend the transactions of about 120 individuals and juristic persons found to have provided support for the PDRC.
Mr Tarit, who is a CMPO member, said the secretary-general of the Anti-Money Laundering Organisation (Amlo) had supplied a report about the agency's investigation into firms suspected to have served the anti-government group.
The CMPO subsequently appointed officials from the Amlo, DSI, Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), Royal Thai Police Office and Revenue Department to coordinate the work.
The CMPO was expected to issue an order to suspend transactions of the 120 individuals and juristic persons in a few days, Mr Tarit said.
He said CMPO director Chalerm Yubamrung had sent a team to negotiate with PDRC leaders and ask them to open the Interior Ministry for regular services.
If the talks were not successful, the CMPO would arrest the PDRC leaders. This was set to be done by 3pm Wednesday, Mr Tarit said.
He stressed that the action would not be a dispersal of the rally because the PDRC had only used chains to lock the ministry's gates.
He said the Metropolitan Police and regional police had reported on obstructions to the election by the PDRC and other groups in Bangkok and other provinces. There were 24 incidents in Bangkok and nine in other provinces. The CMPO asked them to expedite the cases to track down those involved.
Pol Maj Gen Krisda Surachetpong, commander of the Immigration Police Division 1, said the DSI had followed the movements of Indian businessman Satish Sehgal both during the use of the Internal Security Act and during the imposition of the emergency decree.
Mr Satish was among those who led PDRC protesters as they laid siege to the office of Aeronautical Radio of Thailand, he said.
On the CMPO's order for the deportation of Mr Satish under the emergency decree, Pol Maj Gen Krisda said the immigration police would investigate the charges against him and forward a report to the committee on migrants for consideration.
The committee would then make a recommendation to the CMPO director on whether to issue an order to revoke Mr Satish's residency before deporting him, he said.
Earlier, Mr Satish had admitted he was an Indian passport holder who had not applied for Thai citizenship. He said he had lived in Thailand for more than 50 years, since he was five years old.
He said he would not go anywhere. "This is my home and my land. I have done all the good things for the country," he added.
He insisted he had not taken part in a meeting or a rally since after the emergency decree was imposed.
Mr Satish said he would seek justice from the court and was now consulting his lawyers.