Monks’ fans target CSD chief
A movement campaigning against the arrests of several monks during a probe into embezzled temple funds is now targeting Crime Suppression Division chief Maitree Chimcherd in its fight to protect the monks charged in the probe.
Jaroon Wannakasinanont, leader of the Chao Phut Phalang Phaendin Group (Group of Buddhists Who Are the Power of the Land), lodged a complaint yesterday with the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), accusing Pol Maj Gen Maitree of malfeasance.
Previously, it filed a petition with the Counter-Corruption Division (CCD), the NACC and the Prime Minister’s Office accusing National Office of Buddhism (NOB) director Pongporn Phramsane of overstepping the NOB’s authority and his own jurisdiction in lodging the complaint against the monks.
The group later lodged a complaint with the CCD against Pol Col Pongporn for damaging the monks’ reputations.
Submitted yesterday along with the complaint against Pol Maj Gen Maitree was a 39-page document. It was believed to contain evidence backing the accusation against the CCD chief.
According to Mr Jaroon, the monks’ arrested did not conform to Section 90 of the Criminal Code. He said charging them with money laundering by citing the 1999 version of the Anti-Money Laundering Act was illegitimate because that version of the law was replaced in 2015.
Mr Jaroon also claimed that Section 3(2) of the 2015 Anti-Money Laundering Act only covers money laundering offences associated with criminal offences other than those leveled at the arrested monks.
Section 3 (2) refers only to money laundering linked to human trafficking, sex crimes, procuring someone for prostitution, luring someone into prostitution, he said.
The charges the CSD have pressed against the arrested monk under Section 157 were also invalid because the monks were considered state officials and only the Ombudsman has the authority to charge them under that section, according to Mr Jaroon.
Six senior monks including the former abbot of Wat Sam Phraya were defrocked in May in connection with the temple fund scandal.