Deal to build 396 new police stations was collusion, DSI chief says

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has collected enough evidence to support a collusion case in regard to the bidding to build 396 new police stations countrywide, director-general Tarit Pengdith said yesterday.

The probe report would be forwarded to the National Anti-Corruption Commission soon for prosecution, as the DSI had no jurisdiction over political office holders, he said.

The report would also be submitted to police to determine if the winning contractor would be indicted on fraud charges, he said.

Lead investigator Thanin Prempree said his panel would meet on Wednesday to spell out the charges for those involved in the alleged bid-rigging to be used as the basis for the NACC's review.

Thawan Mangkang, another investigator, said he expected to summon the building company, which was required to construct all the new stations, to explain why it had hired subcontractors to do its work.

If the company could not defend its practice, there could be a separate case for unauthorised outsourcing, he said.

DSI sources said that before completing the case report, Tarit and the investigators would likely decide whether to single out just the politicians involved or also name certain top police officers as suspects.