NACC finds 3 ex-MPs guilty of fraudulent voting in Parliament
The anti-graft agency has found evidence suggesting the three former MPs used their electronic IDs to vote and register attendance despite being absent
The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has found grounds to believe that three former MPs had allowed others to use their electronic identification cards to take attendance and vote on their behalf during a Parliament meeting.
NACC secretary-general Saroj Puengramphan said on Thursday that the agency investigated the incident that took place at a House of Representatives meeting on September 20, 2013.
The subject on the agenda that day was for MPs to consider and vote on a draft act allowing the Finance Ministry to borrow funds for the development of transport infrastructure, he said.
Investigators found that Chaiwut Phongphaew and Pirapol Laparojkit, both formerly Democrat Party MPs, and Saranwut Saranket, a former Pheu Thai MP, had recorded their attendance and cast their votes despite not being present at the meeting.
Evidence suggests that the three MPs were on board flights at the time of the meeting, Saroj said.
Hence, the NACC ruled that there were grounds to believe that three MPs had violated Section 172 of the Organic Act on Anti-Corruption of 2018. Saroj said the commission has forwarded its ruling to the Office of the Attorney-General to consider taking the case to court.
