Sakulthorn Juangroongruangkit was not indicted in a bribery case involving a block of land in central Bangkok owned by the Crown Property Bureau because he was not a suspect, a spokesman for the attorney-general said on Wednesday.
Police were investigating his possible involvement in a separate bribery case, Itthiporn Kaewthip told reporters.
Mr Itthiporn called a press conference to reply to questions raised by the committee on law and justice of the House of Representatives, which asked why prosecutors did not indict Mr Sakulthorn for his alleged involvement in a case in which two people were jailed for taking bribes.
Mr Sakulthorn is chief executive of Real Asset Development and younger brother of Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, leader of the Progressive Movement. (continues below)
Sakulthorn Juangroongruangkit
Sira Jenjaka, a Palang Pracharath MP who is chairman of the House committee, alleged Mr Sakulthorn was implicated by a criminal court judgement that stated he paid 20 million baht to two men, one of them an official from the Crown Property Bureau, in the hope of getting a concession for 12-rai of prime land in the Chidlom area of central Bangkok.
The two men were each sentenced to six years imprisonment. The sentence was commuted to three years because they confessed and gave useful statements.
Mr Itthiporn said the prosecutors handling the case recommended not filing an appeal. The recommendation was forwarded to the Royal Thai Police Office. The police chief had no objection to it and the case was concluded.
Chanchai Chalanonniwat, a deputy spokesman for the Office of the Attorney General, said there were only two defendants in that case. Mr Sakulthorn was only a witness.
When it appeared later that Mr Sakulthorn might not be a damaged party, police investigators opened a separate case into whether he could be charged with giving bribes. The investigation was still underway.
While police were investigating, prosecutors could not interfere. If police investigators filed a report and recommendation to indict, prosecutors would be able proceed with the case.
Therefore, the allegation that prosecutors had not done anything about Mr Sakulthorn's alleged involvement was not true, Mr Chanchai said.