The Counter Corruption Division (CCD) has forwarded alleged embezzlement cases involving five senior monks from three Bangkok temples to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).
The monks are Phra Prom Dilok, abbot of Wat Sam Phraya and chief monk of Bangkok; Phra Prom Methee, the abbot of Wat Samphanthawongsaram and chief monk of 4th-7th regions; Phra Prom Sitthi, the abbot of Wat Saket and chief monk of the 10th region; as well as Phra Methee Sutthikorn and Phra Wichit Thammaporn, both assistants to the Wat Saket abbot.
Phra Prom Dilok, Phra Prom Methee and Phra Prom Sitthi also serve as members of the Sangha Supreme Council.
The investigation was launched after Pongporn Pramsaneh, director of the National Office of Buddhism, last Wednesday lodged a complaint accusing the five senior monks of siphoning more than 70 million baht from a Buddhism development fund for Phra Pariyatti Dhamma schools for Pali and dhamma studies.
Legal action is being pursued against the five monks as part of a wider probe into 10 temples allegedly involved in the embezzlement of more than 100 million baht from the fund.
The acts committed by the supreme council suspects violate not only criminal law but the monastic code of conduct, according to the complaint filed by Pol Lt Col Pongporn. They do not deserve to remain in their positions, he added.
CCD chief Kamol Rienracha said the agency submitted four cases implicating the suspected monks to the NACC last Wednesday.
The NACC was now authorised to look into the cases with regard to corruption while money laundering would fall under the Anti-Money Laundering Office.
Pol Lt Col Pongporn would be summoned for questioning about a fresh issue concerning budgets allotted to each temple, Pol Maj Gen Kamol said.
Earlier, the CCD forwarded 12 cases resulting from two probes into alleged similar crimes at several temples upcountry provinces to the NACC, resulting in legal action against many state officials and civilians.