DSI expands probe of relief supply bags

The Department of Special Investigation is expanding the scope of its investigation into alleged irregularities surrounding the recent procurement of flood relief supplies.

Tharit: ‘No intention of implicating last govt’ 

The investigators are also looking into previous purchases of flood relief bags over the past two years, said DSI chief Tharit Pengdit yesterday.

He said the DSI had no intention of implicating the previous government in the corruption probe.

The fresh inquiries would get under way simply because two companies had won the bids to flood relief bags for a long time, Mr Tharit said.

The inquiry also would have to look into what had happened in the past to make the investigation more thorough and complete, said Mr Tharit.

Mr Tharit also said that he could not confirm at this stage media reports that 11 officials of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) were really involved in any irregularities in the recent procurement of flood relief bags, despite earlier reports which said they were. He said he would rather wait until solid evidence came to light.

Mr Tharit said investigators have initially linked a group of people to the alleged procurement irregularities.

Earlier, a DSI source said investigators had found that 11 DDPM officials including a deputy director-general were likely to be involved in the irregularities.

The findings were established by two investigation teams led by Thanin Prempree, deputy chief of the Office of Special Criminal Cases 2, and Pol Col Narat Sawettanant, a deputy DSI chief.

The teams concluded from witness testimony and evidence that the 11 department officials might have either violated Section 157 of the Criminal Code by abusing their authority or broken the bidding collusion prohibition law.