Singer not a scapegoat for fire : deputy police chief

Deputy police chief Jongrak Juthanont denied yesterday that singer Saravuth Ariya from the band Burn had been unfair?ly blamed for the disaster. He said arrest warrants issued by a court for all suspects were based on evidence and witness accounts.

Jongrak said last Friday he escorted the person who took a video clip before the fire to see the Justice Minister so the min?ister could ask questions and the witness confirmed that the singer lit a firework before the blaze took place.

He said the truth should be determined by the Criminal Court if police witnesses and video footage was credible and convincing. He said police took action against five suspects and had gathered evidence careful?ly so there was no scapegoat.

He said that police had not closed the case and were still gathering evidence.

Jongrak said he had learned about the club's security camera footage on January 30 and asked forensic chief Pornthip Rojanasunand for it to use in the case report but she refused.

Pornthip has said she refused to give the footage to police because the Justice Minister ordered her to do that, as it was proposed that the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) should work on the case with police.

Jongrak said that police did not object to the fire probe becoming a special case involv?ing the DSI, as there were many other charges involved.

If the DSI takes over the case, the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission is expected to take charge of the prosecution of negligent or cor?rupt government officials while the Narcotics Control Board will look at any drug offences linked to the case.

The Anti-Money Laundering Office is also expected to probe how Bt20 million was transferred to the pub's bank account and who was involved in the transaction.

Meanwhile, the father of fire victim Anusara Klisuk, 30, said he owed a Bangkok hospital Bt480,000 in medical bills.

Senior Sergeant Major Prakob Klisuk said Anusara was now treated for oxygen depri?vation to the brain at Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital courtesy of a universal health scheme card. He said his fami?ly had only received Bt10,000 from the club owner. He urged the owner to take more respon?sibility for the injured.