Suthep, speaking at the Criminal Court aside from yesterday's hearing for a defence witness, said he was confident in his evidence.

The Criminal Court last month sentenced Election Commission chairman Vasana Puemlarp and colleagues Prinya Nakchudtree and Virachai Naewboonnien to four years in jail for improper oversight of the April 2 poll.

In testimony at the Court yesterday, Vasana denied he violated electoral laws by failing to take legal action against the Thai Rak Thai Party. He was cross-examined in proceedings stemming from the criminal suit filed by Suthep alleging dereliction of duty.

Suthep accused Vasana, Prinya and Virachai of failure to investigate a complaint that Thai Rak Thai hired the Pattana Chart Thai and the Thai Ground Party to contest the April 2 ballot, which was later annulled.

Vasana defended himself, saying he had appointed a panel headed by Nam Yimyaem, to investigate the charge on March 20 - the same day Suthep lodged the complaint. He said the panel asked for the probe to be allowed to continue till April 8 as many witnesses and much evidence had to be dealt with.

Vasana said he had instructed the sub-panel to expedite the probe but never exerted any controlling influence. The panel submitted its findings on April 7 but he said the results did not clearly conclude that TRT heads had bankrolled small parties in the poll.

Vasana said he instructed the panel to investigate the matter further till April 12. It panel eventually reached a finding on May 8, at 5.40pm - the same day the plaintiff lodged his suit for dereliction of duty.

Vasana said the accusation was unjustified because he had not learnt the findings of the panel's inquiry.