NACC to probe justice minister and DSI over Senate election collusion

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has agreed to set up a committee to investigate the conduct of Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong and director general of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), Pol Maj Yutthana Praedam, over their probe into alleged collusion in the Senate elections.

The NACC’s move is in response to a petition by Senate Speaker Mongkol Surasajja, filed with the graft watchdog, after he received complaints from as many as 10 senators, claiming that they were being persecuted by DSI officials.

The senators claim that plain-clothed DSI officials, without showing their ID cards, forced their way into the house of a former senator in Amnart Charoen province and attempted to get him to admit that he was involved in the alleged collusion.

The senators also claim that the DSI officials disconnected the CCTV system in the house.

The DSI’s probe into the alleged Senate election collusion is widely being seen as a politically-motivated act, aimed at undercutting the influence of Bhumjaithai party in the Senate, via the closely affiliated so-called “Blue” faction.

Tawee, leader of the Prachachart party, is close to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and oversees the DSI.