The Justice Ministry will conclude its investigation into the alleged rape and blackmail of a businesswoman by a senior official of the Department of Special Investigation within six months.
Tawatchai Thaikeo, deputy permanent secretary for justice, said on Friday the ministry received the case from the DSI and began a serious disciplinary offence investigation on Feb 6. The ministry also told the accused man to formally acknowledge the allegations.
Investigators were currently compiling evidence and witness statements from the complainant, and setting the scope of the investigation. The probe committee would have its first meeting next week and the investigation would be concluded within 180 days, as required by law, unless there was any complication, Mr Tawatchai said.
Punishment for justice officials found to have committed a serious disciplinary offence could be either dismissal with pension benefits, or expulsion from the service with loss of pension, he said.
On Thursday, a 38-year-old woman property developer filed a rape and blackmail complaint with the Crime Suppression Division. She accused a C-9 level official of the DSI she met via Facebook of first trying to be overly familiar with her, and later raping her in her condominium in Pattaya in 2016.
She also accused the DSI official of recording the rape for purposes of blackmailing her and having his wife sue her for 2 million baht for adultery.
The official's name has not been released.