"The Department of Special Investigation has dismissed a case against TPI Polene Plc - alleged to have violated the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Act of 1992 by giving 258 million baht to the Democrat Party through an advertising company - for lack of evidence, DSI chief Tharit Pengdit said on Monday.
Mr Tharit said there was not enough evidence to back the allegation that TPI Polene had violated the SEC Act by hiring Messiah Business and Creation Co, an advertising company, for 258 million baht to make campaign material for Democrat candidates in the 2005 election, but that in fact the money was transferred to some members of the party.
He said TPI's annual report and a contract made with Messiah Business and Creation Co showed that the advertising agency really was hired to do the job and there was no strong evidence to back the allegation that the money was siphoned to some Democrat members.
Asked if the DSI's decision to drop the case would have any effect on the case filed by the Election Commission with the Constitution Court seeking the dissolution of the Democrat Party for receiving a 258 million baht donation from TPI Polene in violation of the Political Party Act, Mr Tharit said he could not interfere in the court's deliberation.He insisted that the DSI's decision was not intended to help the Democrat Party.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, the Democrat Party leader, declined to comment when asked whether this would have an effect on the dissolution case against his party.He said he did not know the TPI case in detail, but believed the DSI based its decision on facts and was not doing anything to serve the political sector.
The Democrat party faces a second dissolution charge, of misusing an EC grant of 29 million baht from the political development fund. This case is also with the Constitution Court. If found guilty in either of the two cases, the party would be dissolved."
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/18...nst-tpi-dropped
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CSI drops corruption case against TPI Polene
Started by Gene, Jul 19 2010 07:11 PM
1 reply to this topic
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Posted 20 July 2010 - 09:51 AM
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...there was no strong evidence to back the allegation that the money was siphoned to some Democrat members.
This is nothing more than a return to the old gimmick that Thai politicians have been using for generations when corruption is charged: "Show me the signed receipts." No one disputes that the money was allegedly paid for advertising. The claim is that it was a cover for payoffs to politicians. Saying that there's no "strong evidence" to trace the money into some politician's pocket is nothing more than saying you want a signed receipt of the corruption. It's business as usual at DSI.
