The Criminal Court yesterday granted bail to luxury car importer Intarasak Techaterasiri, aka "Boy Unity", who faces a public fraud charge in relation to the sale of untaxed vehicles.
The Southern Bangkok Criminal Court approved his bail request with 300,000 baht in surety and that he must not leave the country unless the court permits it.
The businessman was arrested on Wednesday shortly after he left the Criminal Court, where he had filed a lawsuit against Department of Special Investigation officers.
Crime Suppression Division (CSD) officers took Mr Intarasak to court yesterday to seek his detention, pending further investigation into the case.
The CSD based their arrest on a public fraud charge brought against Mr Intarasak following complaints by several people who face legal action from customs authorities and police after they bought luxury vehicles from companies run by the suspect.
Referring to the public fraud charge, CSD deputy commander Jiraphob Phooridej said four people were implicated. They are Mr Intarasak, his sister Thitipan, Ying Sri-anan and Kanista Sa-nguanwong.
All the accused were arrested. Ms Thitipan was arrested on Wednesday night and Ms Kanista was apprehended at her house in Nonthaburi yesterday afternoon.
According to a CSD source, Mr Intarasak was suspected of luring people into buying untaxed vehicles displayed at a showroom of the Gallery Auto Import Co, of which Mr Ying is an executive.
The vehicles were found to have been brought out of a free storage zone without tax being paid.
The victims then paid money for the cars to STT Autocar Co, of which Ms Thitipan is an executive, the source said. Ms Kanista allegedly signed her name to take the vehicles out of storage on behalf of Austin Auto Cars Co.
Pol Col Jiraphob said Ms Thitipan was questioned and acknowledged the charge before being released. She only serves as an executive of the firm found to be linked with the offence, the officer said. This differs from her brother, against whom people have lodged police complaints directly, Pol Col Jiraphob said.
He said earlier about six people had filed police complaints after they were unable to register their newly purchased vehicles, with prices ranging from 8 million baht to 30 million baht.