Saxena's mum may join defence

The mother of former Bangkok Bank of Commerce (BBC) executive and embezzlement suspect Rakesh Saxena, who is herself a lawyer, may travel from Canada to help with her son's defence during his trial, attorney Kamnuan Chalopatham said yesterday.

"Amrit Sarup may travel from Canada to give advice to him during the trial. It remains to be seen in the next few days whether she will come," said Kamnuan, who represented Saxena in the long-running extradition case between the Thai and Canadian authorities.

He said Saxena had not contacted him since his arrival Kamnuan said Saxena had not explicitly implicated any politician as being involved in the BBC scandal when he represented him during the extradition process.

Chief police investigator Pol Maj-General Panya Mamen yesterday said he had submitted additional investigation reports to public prosecutors regarding Foreign Ministry interpreters' roles in his interrogation.

Saxena may not be brought to South Bangkok Criminal Court for the hearing on a second round of detention, because it could be held via videoconferencing, Corrections Department director-general Chartchai Sutthiklom said yesterday.

"If he really needs to show up in court, extra protection will be provided by Department of Special Investigation agents, special warden units and special-operations police, in addition to normal protection by prison guards," he said.

Public prosecutors will decide this morning whether to indict him today or next Tuesday, said Seksan Bangsombun, head of the Office of the Attorney-General's Economic Crime Litigation Department.

The decision will not be influenced by a court decision scheduled for Tuesday in a case in which Krirk-kiat Jalichandra, for whom Saxena worked as an adviser at BBC, has already been indicted by a lower court.

Saxena's wife reportedly left food and clothing after visiting hours on Monday.