Police have arrested a relative of a former high ranking police officer who was earlier sentenced to 12 years in jail for lèse majesté and misconduct.
The police arrested Eakachai P. on Tuesday and accused him of claiming connections with the monarchy in offering to help a suspect in a drug case get out of jail.
Bantoeng Nameesean filed a police complaint on Monday. Bantoeng told the police that in December 2008 Eakachai, claimed to be the nephew of Pol Lt Gen Pongpat C., ex-Commander of the Central Investigation Bureau, and related to the monarchy, and promised to help Bantoeng’s son escape a drug charge if Bantoeng paid him 1.3 million baht. Bantoeng paid, but nothing happened.
The police also said that Eakachai was involved in a casino allegedly owned by Pongpat.
Pongpat was arrested at the end of November 2014. He was accused of citing the monarchy for personal benefit, asking for bribes, money laundering and misconduct.
After Pongpat’s arrest, nearly 30 more suspects were arrested for being associated with his monarchy-citing network, at least 19 of whom have now been charged with lèse majesté.
Four of the suspects arrested are siblings of Srirasmi Suwadee, the former Royal Consort to Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn, who resigned from her status as a member of the Royal Family following the arrests of her relatives on charges of corruption and lèse majesté.
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