The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has yet to review a full report on the prosecution's decision not to indict Panthongtae "Oak" Shinawatra over a cheque worth 26 million baht linked to the Krungthai Bank (KTB) loan scandal.
Panthongtae: Let off hook in one case
While the prosecution on Wednesday agreed to indict Mr Panthongtae on charges of money-laundering in connection to another cheque worth 10 million baht, they have let him off the hook over the 26-milliion-baht cheque.
Both cheques are related to wrongfully approved KTB loans in which the state-run bank granted 9.9 billion baht to subsidiaries of Krisdamahanakorn during the Thaksin administration. The loans were approved despite the firm being listed as a non-performing debtor.
DSI chief Paisit Wongmuang said on Thursday investigators will have to study the details of Mr Panthongtae's case. The prosecution resolved to indict Kanchanapa Honghern and her husband Wanchai on charges of money laundering in relation to the 26 million baht cheque. Ms Kanchanapa is a secretary to Khuying Potjaman na Pombejra, who is Mr Panthongtae's mother.
Pol Col Paisit said the DSI has also looked into transactions involving 190 individuals who received money tied to the loans but found no irregularities.
A source at the DSI said on Thursday two individuals linked to the KTB loans were Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda and his close aide, ACM Phajun Tamprateep. It was alleged that the owner of the company, Wichai Krisdathanon, signed cheques to several people including Gen Prem and Adm Phajun.
However, the DSI's probe found the cheques issued to Gen Prem and ACM Phajun did not constitute money laundering. A cheque worth 100,000 baht given to Gen Prem was donated to the General Prem Tinsulanonda Statesman Foundation and another one given to ACM Phajun as payment for a banquet organised for training at the National Defence College.