DSI asks court to approve temporary detention of Samart, mother

The Department of Special Investigation on Tuesday asked the Criminal Court to approve temporary detention of former Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) deputy spokesman Samart Janechaijitwanit and his mother pending more investigations.

DSI investigators took Samart and Wilawan Putthasamrit to the court and informed it that the investigators were against their release on bail for fear that they would meddle with the evidence and investigations.

The law allows authorities to detain suspects for 24 hours, and they must seek court approval for their detention pending investigations and suspects’ arraignments.

The DSI obtained arrest warrants against Samart and Wilawan on Sunday. Wilawan was arrested in the morning and Samart at noon on Monday.

The two were charged with collaboration in money-laundering for The iCon Group. 

In an audio clip released earlier, Samart was allegedly heard demanding money from The iCon Group’s chief executive officer, Warathaphon Waratyaworrakul, in exchange for help escaping legal action.

After the clip made headlines, the Palang Pracharath Party planned to expel Samart but he quit the PPRP first. Samart was known to be a close aide of PPRP leader Gen Prawit Wongsuwan.

On Tuesday, Samart told a reporter tersely that he could not talk about the case although he wanted to.

His mother, meanwhile, submitted hand-written messages to reporters saying the case against her was not fair as she did not launder money for The iCon Group boss and she had no way to meddle with the investigations, so the decision not to free her on bail was not fair either.

The court later decided in the evening to grant Wilawan bail but denied Samart's request for release on bail.