Temporarily transferred national police chief Pol Gen Torsak Sukvimol has sued high-profile lawyer Sittra Biabungkerd for defamation for accusing him of being involved in taking bribes from illegal businesses.
Pol Gen Torsak's legal team, led by a former senior prosecutor of the Supreme Court Siripong Pongpansuk, submitted a legal complaint at the Southern Bangkok Criminal Court on Friday. Mr Siripong said Pol Gen Torsak also demands that Mr Sittra pay five million baht in damages.
The first preliminary hearing has been scheduled for June 10 at 1.30pm.
Pol Gen Torsak has been placed in an inactive post since March 20, alongside deputy chief Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn, who has been suspended for his alleged involvement with BNKMaster online gambling bribery.
Mr Sittra made allegations on Tuesday about a police gang being involved in collecting bribes, in which members accumulated 100 million baht in kickbacks each month. The gang is allegedly linked to at least three police officers, including Pol Gen Torsak.
Mr Siripong said that Mr Sittra's supposed evidence against Pol Gen Torsak was "nothing" and that he had defamed the national police chief.
Pol Gen Torsak has also appointed Atchariya Reuangrattanapong, chairman of the Help Crime Victims Club, as a spokesman for the case.
Mr Atchariya said that Pol Gen Torsak had conveyed a message to Mr Sittra that he wanted to thank him for bringing the story to light because the national police chief has nothing to hide and is ready to be investigated.
Meanwhile, Pol Gen Watcharapol Prasarnrajkit, chief executive of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), said that the commission has not yet received any documents or evidence related to Pol Gen Surachate's money-laundering charges.
When asked how long NACC needs to investigate the case, he said a time frame couldn't be given until they received all the evidence.
"NACC will take the case with fairness and transparency," he said.