DSI presses for prosecution of firm in police-station fiasco
The Department of Special Investigation is still demanding criminal prosecution of the construction company involved in the scandal over police-station renovations, despite reports that the Office of the Attorney-General decided to drop the case.
DSI director-general Tarit Pengdith said yesterday that he had insisted that criminal action must be taken against PCC Development and Construction for failing to rebuild 396 police stations across the country, but it would be up to the attorney-general to indict them.
The company was well aware that its quote for the project was lowball and it could not complete the work on schedule, he said.
Witnesses had testified that the firm had bribed politicians after it secured the contract, he said.
“If [the state] does not sue the company, it might affect the case against former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and former deputy prime minister Suthep Thaugsuban that has been already submitted to the National Anti-Corruption Commission, as there must be a link between a private company and government officials in a corruption case,” he said.
PCC executives had confessed that they paid kickbacks to politicians after winning the bidding, Tarit said. There was also evidence that politicians were involved in changing the bidding procedures and specifications.
