Complaint against spiritual leader's son

Amran Halabi, owner of Benhalabi Place, said that four months ago he had turned away a middleman claiming to be acting for a minister and the PM's Office. The middleman had asked him to join a Quran printing project, for which he sought a Bt120-million commission from the Bt300-million printing budget.

However, another person then came to Amran, this time carrying a letter from Direk Sumalayasak, who claimed to be authorised by the Chularajmontri - Direk's father and the country's top Islamic spiritual leader - so he thought the project was credible and agreed to take part |in it.

He grew suspicious when they avoided giving him appreciation and introduction content, and he later learned he had been duped.

Amran has urged the Chularajmontri to step down to show responsibility for his son's actions.

Salaton Printing House in Yala filed a similar complaint on Thursday against Direk for allegedly forging documents and embezzlement.

Direk has said he was in charge of the printing project and had turned down printing houses trying to take part, as it was still in the process of budget proposal and the checking of content.