‘Big Joke’ faces suspension threat
Deputy national police chief Surachate Hakparn may be suspended due to a probe into his alleged involvement in an online gambling network, according to his boss Torsak Sukvimol.
Pol Gen Torsak said that Pol Gen Surachate, aka “Big Joke”, has been summoned to appear at
Tao Poon police station on Thursday in connection with investigations into the BNK Master network of gambling websites.
A written notice was posted at Pol Gen Surachate’s residence on Sunday. If a second notice is sent and Pol Gen Surachate fails to show up, he will face an arrest warrant and be suspended from duty, Pol Gen Torsak said.
The police chief acknowledged Pol Gen Surachate’s argument that the National Anti-Corruption Commission had taken over investigations into the online Minnie gambling network case in which Pol Gen Surachate was a suspect. But Pol Gen Torsak said police interrogators had summoned Pol Gen Surachate about the BNK Master online gambling network case, which is a different case.
Pol Gen Surachate was suspected of money laundering in both cases, he said.
The police chief said the BNK Master network should be concluded before his retirement in September. It has been reported that Pol Gen Surachate is the leading candidate to succeed Pol Gen Torsak.
Pol Gen Torsak said there was no attempt to persecute Pol Gen Surachate and that every action has been based on witness statements and evidence.
Meanwhile, Pol Gen Surachate said he had not examined the details of the summons posted at his residence because he has been accompanying cabinet ministers in the North.
He insisted on his innocence but refused to answer when reporters asked if he had phoned Pol Gen Torsak to discuss the cases against him.
On Sunday, Pol Gen Surachate said he would find out if the summons was legally issued.
He said yesterday in Phayao, while providing safety for cabinet ministers during a mobile cabinet meeting, that he would not know any details of the summons until he returned to Bangkok.
“I’m never worried about anything. I’m confident about proving my innocence in the wake of this matter. I have done nothing wrong,” he said.