The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) is asking the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) to accept the fraud case involving Thonburi Healthcare Group founder Dr Boon Vanasin as a special case.
Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop Bhuridej, commissioner of the CIB, has instructed Pol Maj Gen Phutthidet Boonkrapue, commander of the Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECD), and investigators from Division 4 to submit a summary of the case against Dr Boon and his associates to the DSI.
Pol Maj Gen Phutthidet said the ECD previously accepted cases regarding Dr Boon from a group of 12 victims who lost about 1.9 billion baht.
Combined with the 247 victims under the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, the total damage is estimated to be about 7.5 billion baht.
The ECD reviewed the case and determined it met the criteria to be classified as a special case under the 2022 Special Case Committee Announcement on fraudulent loan schemes involving either at least 300 victims or damages exceeding 100 million baht.
Currently, police are gathering evidence and plan to deliver the full dossier to the DSI this week, said Pol Maj Gen Phutthidet.
Pol Maj Woranan Srilam, director of the financial business fraud division of the DSI, on Sunday said the DSI would need to evaluate several legal matters before it can accept the case.
These include whether the allegations all fall under the jurisdiction of the DSI based on the nature of the case, he said.
The DSI will also look into whether the case file is complete and qualifies sufficiently as a special case, and whether it aligns with the criteria set by the special case committee, he said.
The decision rests with the DSI director-general, who will review all evidence before proceeding on the matter.
Dr Boon, a prime suspect, left Thailand on Sept 29, travelling from Bangkok to Hong Kong before continuing to mainland China.
Thai police have contacted the Foreign Affairs Division to request Interpol to issue a red notice for his capture.
If the DSI accepts the case as a special case, it will assume responsibility for further investigation, including pursuing suspects, said Pol Maj Woranan.
Meanwhile, Dr Boon's ex-wife and daughter told police they had nothing to do with his alleged multi-billion-baht fraud, but police have still detained them for further questioning.
Pol Maj Gen Atthaporn Wongsiripreeda, commander of Metropolitan Police Division 1, said on Sunday that Jaruwan Vanasin, 79, and Nalin, 51, denied the charges during an interrogation on Saturday night.
They face charges related to public fraud, fraudulent borrowing and money laundering.
"Their information is useful for the case and police will reach more suspects," he said, adding the number of victims in the case could be huge.
"Just in the area under the jurisdiction of Metropolitan Police Division 1 alone, there have been 247 complainants with alleged losses worth more than 7.6 billion baht in total," he said.
"Affected parties in other areas of the capital and other provinces have not been included yet."