Four suspects in football gambling racket released on bail

Four Crime Suppression Division (CSD) police officers believed to be allegedly involved in the illegal Abubakar bin Sulaiman football gambling racket were released on a Bt600,000 bail guarantee yesterday after the Criminal Court decided that they would not flee.
The four officers, who turned themselves in are: Pol Lt-Colonel Watthana Phol-ngarndee; Pol Major Aphisit Mekprayoon; Pol Captains Nithiphat Kangruambutr; and Sakrin Kesornthian.
Four other officers also allegedly involved in the racket and on the run are Pol Colonels Watcharaphol Thongluan and Athip Thaennil, Lt-Colonel Phiphat Chawengraj and Major Jakkraphan Leelananthawong. A civilian, identified as Withoon Trakarnphruek, also faces an arrest warrant for his alleged role in the illicit operation.
The suspects either served earlier or were working under former Central Investigation Bureau commissioner Pol Lt-General Pongpat Chayaphan. The first four were with the powerful CSD, while the other four served in other divisions under CIB.
According to arraignment documents, the four CSD officers had demanded bribes from an Indian businessman who was arrested in a 2009 raid led by Pongpat. They wanted property developer Karan Singh Thakral pay them in exchange for taking his name out of a list of people whose assts were to be seized. A large sum of money, believed to be close to Bt150 million, had been sent to Pongpat and former deputy CIB chief Pol Maj-General Kowit Wongrungroj in relation to this case.
Separately, CIB deputy commissioner Pol Maj-General Thitiraj Nongharnphithak has been promoted to top CIB post to replace Pongpat, in a transfer order released last Friday. The new position will go into effect on January 15.