Bangkok: The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has accepted a petition from relatives of the late Pol. Col. Thitisan Uthanaphon, also known as former Superintendent Joe, to investigate alleged harassment by Corrections Department officers during his detention. This development comes as part of the broader investigation into the unusual wealth case and related issues surrounding the deceased officer.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Saroj Phuengramphan, Secretary-General of the NACC, provided an update on the ongoing investigations. While the criminal case against Pol. Col. Thitisan has been dismissed following his death, the unusual wealth case, which involves asset-related matters, remains under consideration by the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases. The investigation has revealed that some of the assets in question were acquired through reward money linked to the import of luxury cars, allegedly involving false declarations. The NACC continues to probe into this corruption case to identify other government officials who may have been involved in the wrongdoing, particularly concerning false reward money disbursements from the Customs Department.
The NACC is also addressing the request from Pol. Col. Thitisan’s family to investigate claims of harassment by prison officers. The commission has begun investigating the complaints, which allege several instances of bullying during his detention. Although a subcommittee has not yet been established for this investigation, NACC officials are actively inspecting the scene and gathering witness statements to assess the validity of the claims. The investigation process follows standard NACC procedures.
Regarding questions about the autopsy results of Pol. Col. Thitisan, Mr. Saroj stated that the NACC would only consider aspects of the autopsy relevant to the harassment complaints. The autopsy seeks to determine the cause of death and any potential assault, while the NACC’s investigation focuses on allegations of bullying. The autopsy could potentially serve as part of the evidence if it aligns with the harassment claims being examined by the NACC.
