AMLO seizes plot belonging to Saxena
The Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) has seized a two-rai plot of land at Chon Buri's Bang Saen beach from fugitive Indian financier Rakesh Saxena, AMLO officials told a press conference yesterday.
Saxena is wanted by Thai authorities to stand trial for embezzling Bt3 billion in 1995 from the now-defunct Bangkok Bank of Commerce (BBC). Saxena, who denies the charges, is currently under house arrest while awaiting extradition from Canada to Thailand. The "transaction committee", led by AMLO secretary-general Colonel Yuthabul Dissaman, found that the land - located in tambon Saen Suk - was bought under the name of a "person close to Saxena" for Bt105 million, which was withdrawn from Saxena's bank account. The account allegedly contained money earned from stock investments using embezzled money. The panel agreed to temporarily seize the property for 90 days, as authorised by the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 1999. This first seizure of Saxena's property resulted from a complaint filed by the Bank of Thailand against former BBC executives accused of illegally approving loans to a debtors group. The National Credit Bank forwarded the case to the AMLO.
|
